Red Roses and Solid Steel
by AvatarGorre
Summary: Alice Maple, daughter of Norman, has recently moved to Hoenn. After taking in a Vulpix, she's swept into a fierce battle between Team Aqua and Magma. Will she and Steven Stone be able to stop them and come to terms with their feeling for each other?
1. Chapter 1

Note: I'm going to go by a little guide that one US dollar is worth approximately 100 Pokemon Dollars.

* * *

I sat in the back of a large, rickety moving truck with my knees to my chest, having decided to tough it out with my families belongings instead of having a bus or a plane transport me to the new house. It was nearly pitch black – the only light in the vehicle coming from the small cracks from the large, sliding door, furthering my doubts of this truck being fully safe.

When my mother had offered me a different route of transportation, I should have leapt at the offer. But no, I decided to be nice. **Well**, this is the last time, I, Alice Maple will **ever** be nice.

I once again grew bored, having grown tired of my own silent rantings and began to twiddle my straight, mid-back length, crimson colored hair in my hands. My mother had recently started buying a new conditioner, and it worked extraordinarily well, as my hair was softer than it ever had been. The smell wasn't to die for, but I could always spray a bit of something else. I had about fifteen different bottles of unused perfumes I'd received as gifts and whatnot as birthday presents. I might as well try and use them at least a little bit.

I almost let out a shriek when the van came to a halt. Thinking it was another red light, I stayed still, but when I noticed the door being fiddled with, I grinned.

Regardless of whether or not I was home, I was still getting out of this damned iron box, even if only for a short lunch break. I grimaced. What unholy restaurant would these baboons force me to eat at next? They had the worse taste in restaurants, stopping at the ones you wouldn't be at all surprised to be stabbed to death in. To top it off, a majority of the placeds made _my_ cooking look good. That was bad, to say the least.

When the door opened and I spotted my mom behind the movers however, I finally slipped and did let out the shriek which had been threatening to release itself for a good day. I immediately got up and halfheartedly ran to my mother, being hindered by my sore buttocks and numbed legs. I should have packed a cushion with all those boxes.

Regardless of that, though... I was finally home.

"So, honey. What do you think of the now house?" She asked, hardly containing her own excitement. I glanced at the building and let out a small grin. It was made of bricks, with vines snaking though the cracks and up to the roof on some areas. It was a two story house, and looked just a bit larger than the average one. I suppose it was to be expected, though. Gym leaders, depending on how high up in the league they were, reportedly made a lot of money. It was estimated that my father would be making about 10,000,000 dollars a year. When I heard that, well, my jaw nearly dropped.

"Well, let's stop looking and go explore it!" She shouted, taking my hand and near running into the house. I chuckled a bit at her enthusiasm. Sometime, I swore she was more immature than me. Within seconds, I was in my living room, which was bustling with Machoke, putting our things in place.

The house was that of an open concept design. The living room felt separated though, as it was built so that it's floor was two feet lower than the kitchens. A small railing kept the two rooms apart, with a small staircase to get up. Beyond that staircase was another set which turned left half way, presumably lead to the second floor.

The living room looked nice, having red walls, looking like they had been newly painted with black carpeting. Though the colors of the living room were slightly dark, the large windows letting light in from what seemed to be every angle really brightened things up. The railing, separating the living room and kitchen was black, and has a simple design, but they still looked nice and went well with the house.

The kitchen was white, with gray tiles in what was a "hopscotch" pattern. Not asking questions, I made my way up and saw that the counter tops were made of what looked like black granite. What really grabbed my attention, though was the small island counter, with a couple bar stools already set out in which I was sure my mother was sure to love. Having also taken a small woodworking course before, I believed the multiple cabinets lined up above the counters to be cherry wood. All the appliances seemed brand new, including a dishwasher I was sure my mother would grow to love like a second child. Also, a nice, fair sized window was right above the sink, giving my mother a nice look into what I assumed to be out lush, green yard.

I turned to my mother, who stood down in the living room and grinned. "I wasn't too happy about moving, but I think this house'll make it more bearable." I said in mild approval.

"And you haven't even seen you're room!" She smiled, leading me up the staircase to an upper floor that seemed to consist of a main hallway with a few bedrooms, a bathroom and a furnace/washer-dryer room. I was brought to the room on the very end, though.

I gasped when I walked in. The walls were an emerald green, with white trim and beautiful hard wood flooring. The closet, which was now ajar wasn't quite a walk in, but regardless, it was still more than enough space for me. The room itself was pretty big too. Looking at it, I thought about how empty it would look once my belongings were all in place. My room back home was far smaller.

"So you like it?" She asked.

"Do you see me gasp like that when I'm about to burst out into tears?" I asked in a sarcastic voice dripping with friendly sarcasm.

"Well, while the movers are getting everything ready, maybe you should go introduce yourselves to Professor Birch and his family?" She suggested. "They live left to us, across the road. I'm sure he'll be glad to meed you again." She explained.

I tilted my head in slight confusion. "Again, you say?"

"Oh, you were just a toddler then. You'd only learned to walk." She explained, laughing a bit to herself. I let out a small "Ah." and headed out.

As described, a house looking much like ours, though instead wearing some clean, white siding. Trusting my mother's word, I crossed, without the slightest worry of cars, as the town was incredibly small, then cut through their lawn and into the front steps. With slight hesitation, I knocked on the door and backed up slightly.

It took a little while for an answer, but a woman looking around the same age as my mother with soft features, brown eyes and light, long and curly brown hair. She wore a pink turtle neck sweater, which I didn't understand, as it was beautiful out and some light blue jeans. Then again... The climate here was warmer than back at home.

"Um, hi. I'm Alice Maple, the next door neighbor." I introduced. "I thought I might as well come over and introduce myself." I explained in a jolly manner, putting my hand out in a gesture for a hand shake.

The woman took my hand and shook, the then waved me inside. "Ah! Alice. I'd so good to see you after all these years." She said, closing the door behind me. "You've grown to be a beautiful girl." She commented, pulling a chair out for me.

I smiled, having heard the compliment. "You're not looking too bad yourself." I said, taking note of the fact that she was actually very beautiful for her age. In a few moments I was seated and a hot cup of tea was placed before me. It looked like a generic serving – one spoon of sugar and some cream, but that was fine to me. I took a sip and placed it back down.

"It's much quieter here than my hometown..." I said, trying to start a conversation. "But then again, coming from Goldenrod City... I bet any place is bound to seem that way."

"Yeah, it can be a bit bland sometimes, but I'd much rather live somewhere like this." She replied. "I've always been one for the simpler things in like, you know?"

"Well, I suppose I'm kind of the same way. I'm actually liking this quite a bit. The noise from all the traffic can be really aggravating, especially when you're trying to get to sleep at night." I said unenthusiastically, taking another drink of tea while making an unpleasant face at the countless memories of trying to fall asleep at night, only to be awoken by a particularly noisy car once I actually drifted to sleep.

It was at that moment a boy who appeared to be my age with green eyes wearing an odd white hat with a green boarder, an orange and black tracksuit with shoes, gloves and a backpack matching the rest of his attire stepped into the room, looking curious as to who was here.

"Mom, who're you talking to?" He asked curiously, peering over at me.

"Oh, Brendan." She said. "This is our new neighbor, Alice." She said, gesturing to me. "She's the new Gym Leader of Petalburg City's daughter." She added, seeing that she was drawing a blank look from him.

"Oh! Hey. I'm Brendan." He introduced, making the same gesture for a hand shake I had earlier to his mother at the door. I obliged, taking his hand and shaking it. His hands were a bit rough, probably from being outside often. Also, he had a good grip furthering my suspicion.

"So, do you train Normal type Pokemon like your dad, or...?" He trailed off, looking to me for an answer.

I shuffled my feet awkwardly, and looked away, loosely biting my lip. "Well, you see..." I trailed off awkwardly, having made my point apparently very clear to the boy.

He got into the seat across the able, leaning in towards me. I backed away slightly, being a person who very much liked their personal bubble. "You're the Gym Leader's kid and you seriously don't have a Pokemon of your own? You kidding!" He said, in apparent disbelief. I narrowed my eyes in frustration. He didn't have to rub it in...

He paused for a moment, seeming to consider something. "Well, we can go catch one for you, right now if you want." He said, standing up again. I instantly forgave him.

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Brendan... You promised to go and help your father with his research yesterday." Said Mrs. Birch, seaming upset to have to dash my hopes. And she was right to assume they'd be dashed. If my body hadn't a skeleton, I probably would have drooped all the way to the floor.

"Oh, damn! Sorry Alice." He said, seeming to be honestly apologetic. "Maybe some other time, kay?" He asked. Before I had a chance to say anything, however, he was gone out the door. I actually felt a tailwind.

There was a drawn out pause before Mrs. Birch broke the silence, seeming to be a very sociable woman. "I really am sorry about that. The boy's very forgetful. She explained, laughing the fact off. "But. If I know him, he'll be sure to remember a promise like that, so don't worry. I'm sure you'll have you're own Pokemon soon enough." She said.

"Well, I suppose I can wait." I said, trying to cover my disappointment with a fake enthusiasm. I was, of coarse happy to be getting my won Pokemon soon, but I couldn't help but feel disappointed right now. "I mean, I have a lot to work on right now, anyways." I went on.

There was another pause between the two of us. Not an awkward one, just one we'd run into, having nothing to really talk about. "Well," I bean, getting up from my chair and heading to the door. "I'd better best be going. There's a lot to be done at my house, and you know parents. If I'm out a second too late, they start to worry." I said, laughing a bit.

She smiled a bit. "Well, okay. Feel free to drop by any time, now. Okay?" She said. It seemed as though she and my mother both got somewhat lonely with their respective husbands gone all the time. It wasn't their fault, being their job, but I couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for them. Maybe, living so close to eachother, they'd become close friends.

I nodded my head. "I just might take you up on that sometime." I said, sort of as a goodbye. I quickly slipped on my heels – which I found out not to be an effective took fairly quickly in the steep terrain.

I was walking home, which is probably only a three minute walk by the way, when I heard sounds I could instantly identify to be the sounds of a tense battle. Curiously, I changed my course and soon found myself watching a battle between the boy from earlier and a woman dressed in an odd red hoodie with black horns on the hood, cut off at her chest with a sort of fiery emblem, a black undershirt and skirt, red leg warmers and gloved with black shoes. She had black hair falling out from her hood and a plain appearance which was slightly contorted with a look of disgust and anger. In front if her was a limp Vulpix of a unique yellow coloration having obviously been bested by Brendan's Mudkip.

"Get up, you useless piece of shi..."

I was usually a calm... If not, lazy person. I didn't usually let things got to me easily, but things like this were a soft spot for me – They seriously had a tendency of making my blood boil. She stopped just as I began marching on over to her.

"You call yourself a trainer, acting so cruelly to your own Pokemon?" I asked, not truly expecting, or wanting to hear an answer. "Your a tyrant who shouldn't be trusted with so much as a houseplant. To treat another living being like this..." I trailed off, looking at the yellow Vulpix as it tried to get up, falling again. "You are someone who doesn't deserve to share with us the title of humanity." I finished.

She scowled at me, obviously angered by my fuming at her. "You think this piece of crap's so great?" She asked, looking at the small, yellowish Vulpix. "I only caught it because it was a rare color. Turns out it's worthlessly weak. You like it so much, you have it." She said, throwing the ball at me. I caught it, though fumbled it for a moment. The aggravated woman then stormed off up the route and around the corner. I was going to follow her, but decided to poor soul in front of me should be my main priority.

I rushed to the small Fox Pokemon and picked it up while cradling it gently. Brendan then appeared by my side, analyzing it.

"Here, I have some potions with me – I can heal it." He offered, taking a large bag off from his shoulders and putting it on the ground, where he began digging though it.

I put the small Pokemon back to the ground gently, just as Brendan took out the Potion he's talked about and sprayed it on Vulpix. It seemed unresponsive for a moment, but it seen began to take quick effect, as it was back on it's legs in just a few minutes, staring up at me with an innocent curiosity. It let out a cure, almost thankful cry.

I smiled back down at it. "Don't thank me, you silly thing. He's the one who healed you." I said, pointing to Brendan. Regardless of this, it brought itself up to me and rubbed it's head against my leg.

Brendan laughed a bit, having already hoisted his pack onto his back again. "Well, it looks like they've already decided you're going to be it's next trainer." He said, seeming a bit excited. I laughed a bit with him and picked the creature back up. To my surprise, it somehow wrapped itself so it was around my neck life a scarf. This took me by surprise for a moment, but I quickly regained my composure. I supposed I 'd let it hand around there for the time being.

…

Brendan and I had talked a while after that before he'd gone to go help out his father. I'd stayed in the open field myself, spending some time with Vulpix. It was very energetic, and it seemed to carry with it a large amount of pride. In addition to this, it near drooled in happiness when I rubbed behind it's ears.

Vulpix sat by a nearby tree grooming itself when I saw it's head shoot up and it's ears perk. Curiously, I quieted myself and began to listen, soon hearing what sounded like a distressed man in the distance. Worry striking me, I got up with Vulpix close behind me and started for the noise. I ran for a few minutes before reaching the mouth of Route 101. I took a bit of a nervous gulp.

What a fool I was, running like this into something I had absolutely no experience in.


	2. Chapter 2

The both of us looked at each other, silently asking one and other whether or not we enter the woods. Simultaneously, after a few moments the two of us nodded and began to trot warily down the route, trying to find the source of the voice, which I could now tell was screaming for help. It took a few minutes, but when I found the source, I deemed it instantly worthy of my time.

A large man in a lab coat was running around, trying to shake off an aggravated Poochyena with little effect. I snorted a little, keeping back laughter when he noticed me. Thankfully, he failed to note my amusement in the entire situation.

"Hey, you!" He shouted, seeming winded. I supposed he's been stuck here for a while, poor guy. "Could you help me? I left my balls in my bag over there, so I don't have any Pokemon on me!" He pleaded, narrowly dodging an lunge.

I nodded. "Okay, Vulpix, are you up for this?" I asked. It nodded, saying it's own name enthusiastically and got in front of me into a battle position. "Alright. You should know ember... Yeah... Let's go with that!" I shouted, know wary as I hadn't a real idea of Vulpix's move set. To my surprise, however, Vulpix took in a deep breath before exhaling, letting out a stream of scorching wind and fire. I blinked a couple times and I watched the Pokemon I'd began battling fall to the ground, out cold. That was definitely not an Ember...

I was snapped out of my pondering the attack when the man walked up to me, a large smile across his face as he was panting a bit. "Thanks a bunch!" He said. "I was in the tall grass when that thing jumped out and attacked." He explained. "I guess I accidentally stepped on it's tail, so..." He trailed off awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head, seeming embarrassed for making such a mistake. "But anyways! Thanks for saving me back there. I'm Professor Birch!" He said, gesturing for a hand shake.

I did so, in spite of having felt I'd already done so a few too many times already.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Professor Birch." I said. "I just so happen to be Alice Maple, The daughter of the new leader, Norman." I spoke, finding it funny that I found the one I originally went out to go see all the way over here.

His eyes widened. "Ah, so you're Alice!" He began. "I wasn't exactly expecting to meet you in a place like this..." He said, glancing around the small route. "How about we go back to the lab?" He suggested, still seeming a bit wary of continuing our discussion here. I nodded and followed the odd professor back to the laboratory. The two of us struck up a small conversation along the way, and my the time we'd reached our destination, had landed on the subject of my new companion, who'd again landed itself on my shoulders. It was half asleep, but had positioned itself a nice way that even if it were to drift into a slumber, it wouldn't fall.

"You seem to be doing pretty well for a newbie. I guess you got that from your father." He said, going to his counter and grabbing small red device. "Here – I want you to take this. It's a Pokedex – an handy took for any trainer on a journey." He explained. "With it you can record the Pokemon you've caught. In addition to this, you can also view your party's move set." He went on, opening the device and pointing it at Vulpix, who let out a mix between yawn and it's regular cry at once, seeming bored.

"Ha! I kind of thought so." He said, catching my attention. "That move you saw it use back there was called Heat Wave. It's learned though it's father, which was in this case, and Growlithe or Arcanine." He spoke. "It also knows Hypnosis... an odd move for a Vulpix, leanred through a Spinda, or a Stantler." He added He went on and gestured for me to take the small red device.

"Well, it's nice of you to give that to be but..." I began. In truth, I had always wanted to start a journey of my own, but this was so abrupt. "I don't even know if my family would be okay with this..." I spoke warily, looking at the Fox Pokemon from the corner of my eye.

"I've known your parents a while, and let me tell you. The second your dad found out your mother was pregnant, he couldn't stop talking about you becoming a trainer." He spoke. "You mother, well. She's a kind lady, and I'm sure she'd be more than happy with the idea of you with a Pokemon, but I suppose you'd better go ask her." He told me. "I mean, I'd be pretty worried myself if Brendan went out on a journey without telling me." He went on.

"I'd pretty abrupt, but sure. I'll go ask." I said, tuning for the door.

Before I could leave, however, he gently stopped me and turned me around. "But still, even if you can't go, take this... It's the least I can do, you saving me and all." He said, placing it in my hands.

I smiled. "I can't thank you enough for this." I said.

"No problem, but I'd like to ask one more thing of you." He began. I looked at him with an eager expectancy. "Could you go to Route 103 sometime and battle with my son?" He asked. "I think he's getting a little cocky, and I have a sinking feeling you'll be able to put and end to that." He said, smiling coyly.

"I'll give it a shot, but I can't promise you anything." I assured, returning the sly smile.

"Anyways, thanks for everything! Now you get on going!" He said, waving me out. I laughed a bit and headed on out back to my house, which I could actually see from the lab. It was an odd feeling for me, being able to take only a couple minutes out of my day to get from place to place here, when I would have to travel for hours to get anywhere in Goldenrod.

When I got to my house, I opened the door to see my mother and Mrs. Birch sitting at the newly placed coffee table. The chatted a bit with a couple cups of coffee while watching a contest on the television. Figures. My mother had participated in a few in her days and actually had a couple ribbons to show for it. I think she had four now, actually. She was also talking about earning her fifth and competing in the Hoenn Grand Festival. Of coarse, I rooted her on.

"Ah! Alice, I hear you introduced yourself to the..." She trailed off seeing the small mammalian creature around my neck, who'd woken up and analyzed the house. "Dear, why is that Vulpix around your shoulders...?" She asked, seeming to like it, though also slightly puzzled as to why it had taken up residence on my shoulders.

"Ah, well... To make a long story short, their trainer ditched it a little while ago, and I was wondering..." I trailed off, now feeling the butterflies begin to flutter around in my stomach. "If I could keep them, and maybe..." I trailed off again, not sure how to word this without seeming all too blunt - one of my many problems. "I was wondering if I could maybe... start my own journey...?" I asked, expecting the worst.

She looked at me blankly for a few moments, as did Mrs. Birch; who's presence was a bit awkward for a moment. My mother then smiled. "Ah, I always thought this day would come... You are your father's daughter, after all..." She began. "It would have been nice if you might have spent a little more time here, but you can always come on over ever one in a while." She caught herself getting off topic, perhaps emotional of the situation.

"Anyways, dear. Of coarse. You and your friend there have my blessing." She said. "Just wait here for a moment, though... Okay?" She asked.

"Oh, uh... Sure." I agreed. She smiled and walked off into her room before coming back with a bundle of money. "Here, I want you to take this... As a sort of parting gift from me. It's 10,000 PokéDollars, not much, but..." She came to a halt, now getting to be quite emotional. I couldn't blame her, though.

"Mom, it's okay – it's more than enough. Don't worry, I'll be careful along my way, and I'll phone every now and again, okay?" I assured her.

"Yes, yes... I just can't help it... My little girl's finally grown up!" She said, a mix of happiness and sadness in her voice.

"Well," I started. "I'd better go back up." I announced, feeling bad to leave her, but awkward staying in the room. I quickly unpacked a suitcase I'd used while moving, and scurried about my room, and the rest of the house for items I'd need along my way, packing them into a large over the shoulder bag. It took a couple hours to pack, but I wasn't too concerned about this – I wanted to be sure I wasn't halfway to the next town when I realized I'd forgotten something. The entire time, Vulpix had wandered around the house, sniffing things and begging my mom for some of the pastries on the table.

I headed back to the kitchen, and found that Mrs. Birch had just left – Vulpix having taken her seat. I looked at my mother. "Well, I suppose this is goodbye for now." I spoke quietly, giving her a weak smile.

She walked up to me and brought me into a tight hug. "You promise me you'll do well and take care of yourself." She said.

I smiled reassuringly, despite her being unable to see it. "I promise." I replied. She broke the hug.

I went to the chair where Vulpix sat and brought them to the ground. I then headed to the door, but looked at my mother once more before leaving, as a sort of silent goodbye. She waved as I exited, closing the door behind me.

I walked off, a few tears rolling down my face; tears of both joy and sorrow.


	3. Chapter 3

Profanities I'd never even thought myself as capable of saying nearly escaped my mouth as I trudged though the open field, now more careful for any hidden obstacles obscured by the overgrown grass. A while earlier, I'd found myself on the ground, having had tripped and nearly sprained my ankle. And what does Vulpix do to help? Well, they sat a few feet in front of me, watching me try to get up while they rolled around, apparently laughing at my clumsiness. How convenient was it that they had plopped down just out of my grasp?

Regardless of this, I had surprisingly made it though Route 101, and had beaten a couple troublesome Pokemon who had other ideas than my reaching the next town. Having checked my Pokedex only moments earlier, I was happy to have found out that Vulpix had reached Level 6. I was relieved, as Vulpix wasn't injured in any of the fights, though they were now apparently tired, as they trotted at a slower pace than when we had headed off. I adjusted my speed for the poor thing, seeing that it was the one doing all the hard work.

It wasn't much longer that I reached Oldale town. And in truth, it wasn't anything too great, but it seemed nice like Littleroot, though slightly more energetic. I could see a few houses here and there, a mart and a Pokemon Center. What caught my eyes though was a a near mob of people off in the distance. I seemed to hear a name like Steven or Stephan, but with my hearing abilities, they could be saying saying something totally different and I wouldn't have noticed.

I was mildly curious as to what was going on, but decided it was probably better not to get involved in such nonsense, so I went to the Center while making a semicircle to avoid the group with Vulpix trotting beside me, still eying the group with curiosity and a slight caution. It was actually kind of entertaining watching them eye the crowd so incredulously. It only took a few extra minutes to reach the Center, so I wasn't losing out on anything. If anything, avoiding the crowd just saved me from popping an eardrum.

I walked into the center, surprised to see they had automatic doors and went to the front counter. The nurse seemed to be in back, so I looked around her desk, finding a sort of customers bell and rang it. She came out a moment, later with a Pokemon I knew from the Johto Region called Chansey by her side.

"May I help you?" I asked kindly, smiling in a polite manner.

"Yes. I was wondering if you could check up on my little Vulpix here?" I asked, picking them up and placing them on the counter. It looked at her for a while, as though trying to get an impression as to her personality.

"Oh, well you don't see this every day." She said, seeming a bit surprised. I tiled to head slightly and raised a brow in confusion. She noted this and quickly spoke again, apparently having thought herself to have insulted me. "Oh, no. I mean, it's coloring. It's my first time seeing a Vulpix of alternate color." She finished.

"Oh, yeah. That." I spoke, laughing a bit. "You see, this is one of the first Vulpix I've ever seen, so I kind of forgot about that." I admitted.

She laughed a bit herself. "Well, I'll get on checking them now." She spoke. She picked up the small Fox Pokemon, which seemed tense at first, but calmed down in a few moments. It propped itself over her shoulder and looked at me I could have sworn I saw it stick it's tongue out at me. It seemed to enjoy teasing me, that was a given.

I'd waited at a table with another trainer I'd talked to for a bit when the nurse came to me with Vulpix by her side. She'd told me she simply healed them a little, and now everything was alright. I quickly thanked her before heading on out again.

I began walking before it registered to me that the crowd from earlier had dissipated; the only clue to it having ever existed being a few small groups of girls talking to one an other in an excited tone. I raised a brow, confused as to what man could get them going like that... I'd have to go and research this Steven or Stephan name I had caught. Hopefully I'd heard right.

By the time I'd snapped my mind from my aimless thoughts, I was already at the beginning of Route 103. I smiled in excitement and nervousness. I could even feel what felt like a bunch of butteries fluttering around my stomach as well. This was going to be my first battle with a trainer... And I was at a disadvantage in more than one way. Brendan had a water type and I had a fire, he'd already battled Vulpix before and he'd won. Figured I was only just considering this.

I made a bit of a sour face as I analyzed the forested route, trying to catch sight of the trainer. For me to win this...

My thoughts were cut short by a familiar voice. "Is that you, Alice?" I darted my head to the left and found Brendan coming towards me with his Mudkip. I analyzed it's walking, taking note of the fact that it appeared to be fairly slow.

"So," He asked, seeming excited. "Did my dad give you a Pokemon of your own?" He asked.

I raised an eyebrow, then looked at Vulpix who seemed to be shooting me the exact same expression. Was this boy daft? Vulpix was right beside me.

Regardless of my thoughts, I politely shook my head. "No, actually, I don't really need one." I began. "You see, me and this Vulpix here – we've become close in the time we've been together. I've decided to partner up with them." I explained.

"Oh yeah – I almost forgot." He said, laughing at his mistake. He finished rather quickly though, and soon looked at me, a grin across his face. "Well," He started. "Why don't we test out your skill level?" He asked.

I looked to my small companion for assurance as to what to do. "It's up to you if you want to battle." I whispered to it, not wanting to send it out against an opponent it had just lost to. In response, it nodded enthusiastically, and let out a spirited cry. I smiled. It seemed a little eager for some good, old fashioned revenge.

"Alright – we accept your challenge." I declared, backing up some so the two could have some room. My now opponents did the same.

There was a dreadful since before Brendan started. "Go, use Tackle!" He shouted.

I quickly ran my Vulpix's attacks through my head before deciding what to do. "Use Heat Wave!" I commanded, pointing at the charging target. Vulpix obeyed and took in a breath before letting out a torrent of scorching air and flame. It hit the Pokemon, not doing much damage, but stopping it in it's tracks.

"Snap out of it!" Shouted Brendan, seeming to have become slightly worried in seeing such a strong move from my Vulpix - I bed the nasty piece of work barking orders at it before didn't even know it knew Heat Wave. "Now, use Water Gun!" He ordered.

I called for my Vulpix to dodge the attack, but it was no use. It hit them in the abdomen, sending them flying a few feet. Regardless of this, it stood up with a fiery determination in it's eyes.

It was then that and idea popped into my head.

"Again, use Tackle!" Shouted Brendan, pointing at my Vulpix.

I sighed, happy to have rightfully anticipated the move. "Use Heat Wave again!" I shouted. Vulpix repeated the attack. The small enemy Pokemon stopped again, closing it's eyes to keep it's vision safe.

I smiled and barked another command before Brendan had the chance. "Now, get in front of it and use Hypnosis!" I shouted. Vulpix ran to the Mud Fish Pokemon and got in front of it. So soon as the water type opened it's eyes, Vulpix looked into them, it's own glowing a crimson color. Mudkip's began doing the same and soon drooped shut, it's body doing the same moments later and falling to the ground.

I grinned madly at the scene, hardly believing what Vulix and I had just accomplished. I then looked up at Brendan, who stared at his Pokemon with disbelief before looking up and be and smiling.

"Alice, that was amazing!" He shouted. "You're only starting and you're not too shabby!" He said, bringing Mudkip back to it's ball and walking up to me.

I smiled, keeping myself from blushing. I never was good at receiving praise like that. "Oh, well... It was Vulpix who did all the hard work." I said, noting that she'd made her way back to me and was now nuzzling my leg affectionately. She was seemingly happy about this, too, having had beaten an opponent which had only recently beaten her. Forget revenge being a dish best served cold - she liked hers scorched to ash.

"Still, you can't deny your part in this. I mean, it lost earlier today to the same Pokemon. The only difference is the trainer." He replied.

"Well, thanks, I suppose." I said, laughing a bit, feeling uncomfortable with the attention on me.

He then went and took his bag off from his back, put it on the ground and began rummaging through it. He brought out about six Pokeballs. "Here. Take these. It's the least you deserve." He offered.

I took them into my hands and looked up at him. "Oh, Brendan... Thanks so much." I said sincerely. "You really didn't have to do this, I mean..." I stopped half way through my sentence, having found him already racing in the other direction.

"Anyways, I need to get home now, so I'll see you later!" He shouted, running back the way I came, having hut his bag and strapped it around himself in a matter of seconds. I stood there, a little surprised by the boy's pace. Did this boy have a stash of caffeine pills he wasn't telling me about? I mean, this was twice now in the same day. I wish I could pull energy out from nowhere like that.

I huffed, but my expression soon turned back into a happy one as Vulpix and myself started back. "Vulpix, you were amazing out there." I commented. It let out a happy, relaxed cry in return.

…

By the time I'd reached the center again, it had already reached 8:00PM. I'd brought my Pokemon to Nurse Joy to heal again, to which she kindly agreed. While I had waited, I went on and made use of the phones they had here, describing my day to my mother, who was ecstatic to hear my first trainer battle was successful.

It was then that Nurse Joy came from the back room and handed me back the ball containing Vulpix, which I quickly popped open, letting out the small mammalian Pokemon. It still seemed happy about it's previous win. It showed; it was strutting around like a model.

The pink haired woman smiled. "My, the two of you have been busy today." She commented. "What exactly have you been up to, if you don't mind me asking?" She asked, having nobody else in line at the moment. It seemed like a common occurrence here, as the population was very small.

"Oh, we got to Oldale from Littleroot and went up to Route 103 to battle a friend." I explained.

"Ah. So, I'm guessing this turned out in your favor?" She questioned, looking down at the confident Pokemon with mild amusement.

"It did, it did." I replied happily, picking up Vulpix and holding them in my arms. It quickly twisted itself so it was sort of leaning over my shoulders. It was just then that I'd noticed how very soft it's fur was, running my hand down it's back a couple times.

"So," I began. "Do you have any rooms for me and and my friend for the night?" I asked.

The nurses expression turned to an apologetic one. "I'm sorry, but all the rooms, they're..."

A voice interrupted our conversation, drawing both of our attention. "If you really need a room tonight, I rented one out with two beds." They explained. I couldn't help but stare just a little. They had messy silver colored hair which they pulled off very well, piercing, icy blue eyes color and fair, immaculate skin. What stuck me most was the odd black suit he wore with a red cravat, black pants and a pair of shoes to match. He was, to say the least handsome.

"Well, I'm not too sure, I mean..." I trailed off. Red flags were up. A man offering me a place to stay. In his room.

Nurse Joy spoke up, seeming to suspect what I was thinking. "Don't worry, Steven isn't the type to do anything like you might be thinking, and trust me; he's probably not going to take no for an answer." She explained, giggling slightly before hearing the chiming of the customer bell and walking to go back to work. I gazed at her oddly, wondering what she was talking about. Cryptic, in a friendly, cute kind of way.

I turned to this Steven chap. "... I suppose." I said, turning my attention back to the boy and smiling a bit. In truth, I wasn't too good with strangers, and this was already sounding like one awkward night.

He began to walk down the halls. "Well, my room's down here." He said in an upbeat tone. I followed; stuck in between my willingness to rather spend the night outside under a tree than here and my inability to say no to people. You see; I'd once stayed at a 'friend's' house in Johto, and caught them trying to pull up my shirt in a drunken manner. I hadn't really been as trusting with men, as silly as that is. He probably thought twice of doing that again himself, having received the beating of his life from my friend Karen and I.

It was then that he entered the room, me following behind. I closed the door, feeling almost as though I'd sealed my fate in doing so. I then inwardly sighed at myself, pondering how ridiculous I must sound to a normal person.

"So, are you just starting out?" Asked Steven, seeming tired of the silence.

I nodded, putting my bag on the bed and took out an elastic for my hair, a toothbrush, a tube of toothpaste and my pajamas. "Yeah, actually. Is it really that obvious?" I asked, preying it wasn't written all over me.

"You're in Oldale – chances are you haven't been at this for too long." He said with a slight teasing, but wise tone, while smiling, revealing a set of near perfect teeth. I inwardly sighed.

There was a brief pause between the two of us; neither knowing what exactly to say. I was first to speak up, to my surprise. "Anyways, if it's okay with you, I plan on having a shower." I said, taking my stuff towards the washroom.

He replied a simple "Go ahead" and went on setting his own stuff

So, I went on, having my shower and going about my nighttime routine in the washroom. In looking at the clock in the washroom after I'd finished, I was surprised to see that only 40 minutes had passed. I shrugged it off and brought my things back into the main room where Steven still sat, on a device I identified as a Pokenav – the Johto equivalent to a PokeGear. While he was chatting, I went about putting my things away, while Vulpix watched lazily, having had curled up near my pillow on the bed.

After finishing, I climbed into the surprisingly comfy bed and was about to lay down when Steven spoke up. "You're going to bed pretty early." He spoke.

"Yeah, I guess." I said plainly. "But, I want to get an early start getting to the next town tomorrow." I explained.

"Oh, are you challenging the Gym Leaders, then?" He asked, seeming honestly interested now. Looking at him, he's apparently gotten into his pajamas while I was in the washroom, now sitting on his bed with his knees up in front of his chest and his arms wrapped around them.

"Yeah, but I'm not going to Petalberg for that reason – from what I know, the leader there's the fifth of the eight." I said. I consciously imagined a battle between my father and I, quickly deciding that doing that now would be a very stupid move.

"You seem to know a lot about the system already, having only started." He brought up.

I decided I didn't want to get into being a leader's kid, as it may attract unwanted attention. "I just did a little research before starting, is all." I lied.

"Ah. So, you're going to to Rustboro, the city after Petalberg for your fist badge, I take it?" He inquired. Man, this guy was curious.

"I suppose." I said. "Why do you ask?" I questioned, decided to ask him questions now.

"I'm heading there myself." He said. "But, if we're both going the same way, why don't we pair up for a while?" He asked. I was about to object, but he spoke up before I had the chance. "I've heard there's some things going on in the woods before Rustboro, and it would probably be wise to go in a group." He added.

"... I suppose." I agreed, though somewhat reluctantly.

"It's settled then." He confirmed. "So, how about we meet here tomorrow at around noon?" He suggested. "I'd leave sooner, but there are a few errands I'd like to take care of, first." He added.

"Sure. I'll probably be sleeping 'till then, anyways." I said, smiling a bit. "Anyways, I'm going to sleep now. I'll see you in the morning." I said, turning off the lamp next to my bed.

He replied with a "Goodnight." and turned off his lamp, too.

* * *

I tried to escape the crowd of frenzied fans with no luck; it was like trying to to dig through cement with a plastic spoon. It was then, however, that from the corner of my eye I spotted a girl, perhaps a little younger than myself with crimson colored hair peering with confusion at the crowd. Surprisingly, she went on, actually making a semicircle to avoid the crowd and stepped in into the center. I also caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a yellow Vulpix, but it could have very just have been the blond hair belonging to the girl demanding an autograph from me. I sighed in frustration, but did so, wanting the crowd to leave me alone.

…

I panted, now having finally escaped the crowd. I wouldn't have ever become champion if it meant going though this on a daily basis.

Regaining my composure, I quietly shifted through the town until I reached the nearby Center. I peered in the window and found only one trainer in there; a youngster with his Zigzagoon. I sighed and entered the center and went to Nurse Joy so soon as the boy had finished.

"Nurse Joy, could I have a room, please?" I asked, my being tired apparently showing in my voice. She smiled. "Here." She said, handing me a key. "This is for the last room for tonight. Room 11 – a double." She said, analyzing me. She let out a sly smile "My, it looks like you've had a rough day." She commented, smiling deviously as I walked away.

"You don't know the half of it." I muttered, heading to the room when I heard another ask for a room. Nurse Joy began explaining there were no rooms when I turned around and saw the same girl as earlier, who now bore a disappointed expression. She was something – having crimson colored hair which reached her lower back, eyes of the same color and a red outfit which one might actually mistake as a uniform of Team Magma's from a distance. I was genuinely curious of the girl, so I decided to let her sleep in my room, there being two beds.

"If you really need a room tonight, I rented one out with two beds." I spoke up, stepping towards the two. She looked at me with an unreadable expression.

"Well, I'm not too sure, I mean..." She trailed off, seeming nervous. That's when it clicked, how suspicious I probably seemed, slapping myself inwardly for slipping up like that.

Nurse Joy, seeming aware that my intentions weren't anything bad spoke up. "Don't worry, Steven isn't the type to do anything like you might be thinking, and trust me; he's probably not going to take no for an answer." She explained, giggling slightly before hearing the chiming of the customer bell and walking to go back to work. I shot a bit of a dirty look at her for the last comment, but she didn't see it.

The red head spoke up again. "... I suppose." She said, smiling a bit.

I began to walk down the halls, thinking some company that didn't include a girl swooning over me would be nice. "Well, my room's down here." I said in an upbeat tone. I herd her feet tapping on the floor, letting me know that she was actually following. I then unlocked the door and entered, with her following and closing it. She sighed to herself. Perhaps she'd a long day, too.

"So, are you just starting out?" I asked, wanting to break the awkward silence between the two of us.

She nodded, putting her bag on the bed and took out a few things from her bag. Her yellow Vulpix; which I hadn't been imagining hopped onto her bed and near the pillow. "Yeah, actually. Is it really that obvious?" She asked, seaming self conscious.

I cursed to myself. I didn't want to make her feel more awkward than she already was. "You're in Oldale – chances are you haven't been at this for too long." I said, smiling a bit.

She looked at me for a moment with another one of her unreadable expressions. It was kind of bothersome for a person like me, who was naturally curious. It was then that she spoke up. "Anyways, if it's okay with you, I plan on having a shower." She said, looking to me for a response.

I let out a simple "Go ahead." She went on into the washroom, and soon enough I heard the shower start.

I sat there, bored out of my mind before my Pokenav rang. I quickly looked to see who it was, and fount it to be my father. "Hey dad." I spoke, my voice again showing my exhaustion.

"Hello Steven," He began, seeming oblivious to my state. "So, have you run into any of _them_ there?" He asked curiously.

I sighed in frustration. "No, I haven't yet." I answered. But there are rumors that they've been loitering around Petalberg woods. I'll get on that soon, okay?" I offered.

"Alright. But be careful – you know they'll do just about anything." He warned.

"No need to tell me." I confirmed. The two of us chatted for some time more about Team Aqua and Team magma before running out of matters to discuss. It was at that time the girl emerged from the shower, preparing herself for bed.

"Well, that's about all there is." He said, chuckling a bit." "I'll see you soon." He said.

I said bye, as did he before hanging up the phone and finding that the girl was just about to get to bed. I spoke up. "You're going to bed pretty early."

"Yeah, I guess." She said plainly. "But, I want to get an early start getting to the next town tomorrow." She explained. I raised an eyebrow before going into a fetal position of sorts. She was a pretty interesting person. I'd gathered that she was unaware of my being champion, by her demeanor. Maybe she wasn't from around here?

"Oh, are you challenging the Gym Leaders, then?" I asked.

"Yeah, but I'm not going to Petalberg for that reason – from what I know, the leader there's the fifth of the eight." I said. She seemed to ponder something to herself for a bit. Though she was just starting, she was far wiser than she appeared.

"You seem to know a lot about the system already, having only started." I mentioned. She was a newbie – it was somewhat odd of her to know so much for someone having just started. I had nothing else to work into a conversation, so I decided this might as well be it.

"I just did a little research before starting, is all." She said, almost defensively. It was a believable story, but I couldn't help but wonder that where was something more behind her, by the way she reacted.

"Ah. So, you're going to to Rustboro, the city after Petalberg for your fist badge, I take it?" I inquired, deciding to let the previous statement go.

"I suppose." She spoke. "Why do you ask?" She questioned, turning the tides on me.

"I'm heading there myself." I said. "But, if we're both going the same way, why don't we pair up for a while?" I asked. The idea seemed nice to me. Though they were only a stranger, they actually had something more to her than most I talked to, even if it was only her behaving like a normal person around me. She seemed wary of the idea, though, so I decided to bring up the tidbit of information my father had just let me in on. That and it really wasn't right to let her travel through there by herself. "I've heard there's some things going on in the woods before Rustboro, and it would probably be wise to go in a group." I explained.

"... I suppose." She agreed, though somewhat reluctantly.

"It's settled then." I confirmed. "So, how about we meet here tomorrow at around noon?" I suggested. "I'd leave sooner, but there are a few errands I'd like to take care of, first." I added, wanting to make sure the grunt that had been loitering around had gone.

"Sure. I'll probably be sleeping 'till then, anyways." She said, smiling a bit. "Anyways, I'm going to sleep now. I'll see you in the morning." She said, turning off the lamp next to my bed.

I did the same. "Goodnight." I said, climbing under my covers.


	4. Chapter 4

I trudged towards the mart, Vulpix meekly following behind me. You see, I'd woken up to a distinct snarling sound this morning, and found out it was Vulpix, making a meal out of my clothing. After I had breakfast – which honestly tasted horrible, I went back to my room and found out I'd locked myself out, and had to climb back in through a window, as Nurse Joy had lost the master key the other day. Then, to top things off, I tripped over my bag in the room and hit my hip right into the bed post, leaving a big, purple bruise. I bruised way too easily.

Needless to say, I was ready to break someone in half.

Trying my best to hide my rotten mood, I entered the Mart, which was over air-conditioned with a catchy jingle playing in the background. I gazed though the store to try and find an outfit I might like a bit – only a couple other people browsing the shop's inventory.

Luckily for me, I found an outfit that I liked fairly quickly. It consisted of a black, sleeveless, low cut shirt with a pair of thin, crimson dress pants. There was a long, crimson overcoat to go with it, having black faux fur around the edges of each sleeve, along the bottom of the coat and around the neck. On the coat there was but once clip to hold the coat together. It was around the chest, hidden underneath a red gem of some sorts with a gold colored, metallic plate to keep the gem set. The black shoes were heeled, but not too much, matching the shirt's brightness and color.

It was a lot of red, but I knew for a fact that I wore it well, and it _was_ my de facto favorite color. I supposed there was a little meaning behind my friends back in Goldenrod City deciding my nickname to simply be 'Red'.

My happiness faded was I saw there was only one left. Going though the shirt, I prayed silently that it might be the right size, having had been in this situation numerous times with unfavorable results. However, I smiled when the size was revealed to be a perfect fit. A rare happening in my case. Perhaps the day wouldn't be as horrible as I anticipated.

Satisfied with my find, I then walked up to the clerk, who sat at the desk, reading a magazine while chewing a piece of gum rather loudly. To be blunt, their attitude made me want to smack them. Crude – I know, but people eating their food loudly made me want to hit my head repeatedly until unconscious. It was one of my pet peeves. If I were to ever make a full list, I'd likely be busy for a larger potion of a day.

I waited there with my clothing in hand, waiting for the clerk's attention before realizing they had no real interest in helping me out. I let out a small huff, trying not to mimic the clerks attitude. "Excuse me, could I please buy this?" I asked, putting the garments on the desk so that they were forced to pay attaention.

The clerk rolled their eyes and said nothing, but lazily grabbed the clothing and brought the scanner to it. It took them a few times to actually get it, but when I did, I was pleasantly surprised, again brought from my foul mood. It turned out to be 4800 Pokedollers – not a bad deal. I could only hope it wouldn't fall apart after a tiny little while.

I took out my wallet and placed the appropriate amount on the table, making sure to avoid change to avoid hearing one more smack of their chewing their gum. "Well, thanks. I'm just going to get this on in the change room." I said, expecting no response. As predicted, they nodded and went back to their magazine. I sighed at them. I hoped the business would fare well – it wasn't every day you found an entire outfit for such a small amount.

Getting to the change room, I shut the door and locked it, promising my Vulpix it would only take a moment. I lied though, and purposely took a while, as it was their fault we were here in the first place – you see, I kind of liked shopping, but if I wasn't in the mood, it wasn't going to happen. I only did this because I was currently wearing a bright pair of blue shorts and a pink tee-shirt. After getting the getup on, I spun to get a view from all angles and looked in the mirror and smiled – it wasn't looking to bad.

Happy with my appearance, I exited the small room to find Vulpix impatiently pacing the length of the door, greeting me with dirty looks when my eyes met it's.

I smiled slyly at it. "Now keep this in mind next time you go and make breakfast out of my clothes." I warned. It said nothing to me, but I could have swore I heard a huff noise from it. I let out a giggle.

Walking past the employee, I said goodbye and exited the store. They, however, didn't even respond. I didn't really care though – the nice weather instantly took my attention away from the store. In addition to this, I had a snazzy new outfit and I'd be going to Petalburg today to meet my dad.

I walked for some time back to the center before I remembered my meeting with Steven. I checked my watch for the time, my eyes widening like saucers when I did. It was 12:15 on the dot – which meant I was already 15 minutes late. In addition to this, it took about 10 minutes to get there. I quickly snatched up Vulpix before making a mad dash for the center, not wanting to force the odd boy to wait for me any longer. Vulpix seemed surprised, but quickly relaxed, seeming happy that I was doing all the dirty work.

Nearing the center, I caught eye of the silver haired man. He leaned against the building with an odd looking Pokemon with a large black body with two small, stubby legs. It had a wide, rounded head with a protrusion on the top and a remarkable, encircling pattern. The pattern consists of a wavy white frame on its circular pink eyes, each with a dot-like pupil and seemingly alternating expressions on each eye with small, beak-like yellow segments between each eye. It's chest has white ring-like patterns with extensions of the design pointing downward and yellow circles in the middle. I seemed to have remembered seeing it in a magazine before, but it's name slipped me.

I finally made it to the pair, stopping and panting a bit. "I'm sorry I was late... I got distracted and..."

The man smiled. "I just got here myself, actually." He said, laughing at out situation. "But anyways. I remembered that last night you never actually gave me your name." He stated, smiling a bit.

I laughed a bit at my own airheadedness. "I'm sorry for that. Anyways, I'm Alice Maple." I spoke.

He seemed surprised at my name. "Are you related to the new leader?" He asked.

I froze up a bit. I never liked telling people about my dad – I was perfectly fine with working in the background, and always brought attention to me. I was his daughter, not Norman, himself.

Regardless of my wanting to lie my way out of the situation, I decided against it, as he had agreed to bring me though Petalburg woods. "Well... Yeah, actually." I said.

He looked at me curiously. "Most people I know would be boasting about that. But you seem upset by it." He spoke, intrigued by my reaction.

"Well, I like working in the background, and this gets me a lot of attention, especially from people who want to make friends with me, solely for the fact of who my father is." I said. "That irritates me beyond anything else. If I get attention – I want it for my own feats, not my fathers." I finished.

He smiled, seeming entertained by my explanation. "I guess I can say I'm the same way." He said. "My dad owns a company famous here, and you wouldn't believe the attention it gets me." He spoke.

I kind of respected him a little for this. All the people in his shoes I usually met were always arrogant fools, flaunting their parent's accomplishments around. In truth, many of them were near useless. I spoke. "Then, I think you and I will get along very well." I commented.

It was then that both of us began walking with our respective partner Pokemon along the road to get to the next town. I inwardly frowned though. When I reached my destination... He'd be going. It was a shame, considering he seemed like the type of person I liked befriending. A down to earth, calm and kind person. Sadly, it seemed as though our world lacked this.

…

I held my breath as Vulpix took in some air before exhaling, letting loose a Heat Wave. The target; a small Shroomish tried to avoid, but it's stubby legs made it slow, so it got caught up. I help my breath in excitement, waiting for the smoke to clear so we could find out whether or not I'd just won my second ever battle.

I grinned. The small Pokemon had toppled over, obviously out cold. The lass brought out it's ball and called it back, though she smiled and walked up to me; shaking my hand.

"That was a great battle." She spoke. "Anyways, good luck on your journey." She said, waving me and Steven off. I waved back for a moment before returning Vulpix, who seemed to have tired themselves out. Following Steven, I them began to continue down the trail.

"I must seem like such a newbie to someone like you." I spoke, laughing a bit.

He seemed caught off guard. "What do you mean?" He asked,

"Oh, no. It's just that you have a Claydol." I spoke, proud to have remembered it's name, and a few other details. "I read once that Baltoy don't evolve until their late thirties, so it's obvious you're far ahead of me." I spoke.

"You're only starting and you already know that?" He asked. I responded with a little nod. "Well then. If you keep it up, you'll go far." He said, smiling at me again. I couldn't lie – he was attractive, and his smiling only further proved this in my eyes.

"I don't know about that, I mean..." I trailed off and stopped dead in my tracks, bringing one of my hands before Steven to stop him, and the other to my lips as a gesture for silence. I didn't have to worry about the little Fox Pokemon, as I'd previously returned it. Steven eyed me curiously, so I gestured forward with a head nod.

A few meters before me was a Pokemon I knew as Ralts which had emerged from the bushes on the left side of the trail and seemed to be heading to those on the other side. I knew it was a shy, rare Pokemon, so I didn't want to go and terrify the poor thing. Steven let out a quiet "Ah." in acknowledgment.

This small gesture caught it's attention, though. It looked up at the two of us, jumping in surprise of Steven's voice and looked at the two of us curiously. Then, to my astonishment, it walked up to me with what seemed to be an innocent curiosity. I looked down curiously at the small critter as it, now at my feet looked up at me, though it's eyes were actually covered by a small helmet like growth.

Then, to my surprise, it used Confusion to generate a small force which mimicked the effects of a hand tapping my head. I let out a small yelp and tripped up, landing on my hind end. I hadn't anticipated this whatsoever, having had focused in on the moment. It was at this moment that silence was broken; both Steven and Ralts breaking out into laughter.

"It looks like it has a sense of humor." Said, Steven, leaning on a tree to keep himself from falling in the ground.

I looked at him, laughing a smidgen myself. "Come on, it wasn't that funny." I said, a few giggles interrupting my disagreement. Ralts, however, seemed to disagree and sent another whack at me head. I burst out laughing at the small thing.

It took Steven, Ralts and I a few minutes before finally calming down and regaining out composure.

Steven was first to speak. "I've never actually heard of a Ralts doing that." He said, threatening to break out into laughter. "The little thing must have a thing for you." He said.

I laughed for a moment before turning to the small Feeling Pokemon. "So, you have a thing for me, do you?" I asked. It smiled and waved it's hand, imitating the humorous gesture. I smiled. "Well then, how about tagging along?" I asked.

The small Pokemon nodded, saying it's own name happily. Having heard it's answer, I took a ball from my bag and tapped it against Ralt's head gently, drawing it inside with a red tractor beam. The ball wiggled once before letting out a small ding, confirming it's capture.

"Well," I spoke, straightening myself. "That was different."

Steven smiled at me, brushing a piece of hair out of his eyes. "I'd say so. The noise we made would usually clear a forest of Ralts." He spoke. "For one to hang around and do things like that, well. It must have been set on following you." He commented.

"I'm going to get lazy if all my Pokemon find their way to me instead of it being the other way around." I said.

"Trust me. Not all Pokemon are so willing to go with you." He said. "Claydol here nearly blasted me to bits when I caught them." He explained, bringing attention back to the silent attendee. It looked up at me, almost as if it were feigning innocence. It was hard to tell though, given that it had no face.

"Well," I spoke. "I guess we'd better get over to Petalberg soon. It's almost three now." I said, looking at my watch. Steven nodded, and the two of us set off. I grinned to myself.

This day wasn't going nearly as horribly as I'd though it would.


	5. Chapter 5

I smiled as Steven and I walked though the last bit of bushes and emerged into into a bright, bustling fair sized town with people walking every which way. The town... it had a very happy, friendly vibe to it. One of those towns where you could walk at night and not have to worry about someone stabbing you yo death for a petty amount of change. Looking back at Goldenrod City, I instantly loved the place, and pondered why my father hadn't just brought us here.

"Well," I began, bringing Steven's attention to myself. "I'd like to go make a run to my dad's gym." I announced. I was excited to show him my Pokemon. I was sure he'd be excited to see them too... Though he could be slightly overprotective. That made me worry slightly, seeing that a boy I'd only just met was traveling with me. I was sure Steven was of good intention, but father couldn't help but think the worst, I suppose.

"I doubt you could challenge him. His Pokemon, if I recall correctly, are in their thirties." He spoke, seeming careful to make sure he worded it in such a way that he didn't offend me.

"Oh, no! I know that." I said, waving my hands and turning to him and smiling. "You see, I want to go see him for a short visit, is all. You see, this will be the first time he'll have seen me as a trainer." I explained.

"Oh," He started, smiling a bit. "Well, maybe I'd ought to see him as well." He spoke.

I raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Why's that?" I asked, curiously.

"Well," He began. "I didn't want to tell you at first, but you seemed to deal with me being the only son of the owner of Devon." He spoke. "So, you see... I'm kind of Champion..." He said, trailing off. _How on earth are you 'kind of' champion?_

I stared at him for a brief moment with an unreadable expression. After a few moments, I finally cracked a smile and uttered "I call bullpies" while pointing my finger at him accusingly.

He laughed a bit at my childish exclamation. "Well then, let's let your dad decide. There's already been a meeting between the Pokemon League with him included, so he should be able to tell you." He challenged, smiling as he know he'd cornered me - that knowledge enough was enough to prove him as being a valid member of the league.

I sighed in defeat. "Fine, fine." I spoke, this time waving my hand in defeat. "But why's the freaking Champion traveling with a newbie trainer?" I asked curiously, feeling slightly insignificant.

"Sure, I'm champion." He spoke. "But I'm not some kind of god, and I don't think so, either. I just thought you seemed like a pretty neat person, not giving a crap about status and decided to travel with you." He spoke. "I wasn't sure how you'd take traveling with the Champion, though, so I decided to leave it out." He said.

I shrugged. "Well, I'm perfectly fine with it, actually." I spoke, smiling a bit. "It just feels a bit awkward at first, being a new trainer and having someone like you watch my battles." I admitted, laughing a bit awkwardly.

He laughed this time, revealing a perfect smile. "I wasn't born the Champ, you know. I started out just like you did." He described.

"Well then. This should be interesting." I spoke. "Now lets head on over to the gym now, shall we?" I asked.

He nodded and started out our pace.

…

The both of us stepped before the glass, sliding doors of the gym. I was a bit nervous, admittedly, but decided not to let out show. Taking a step, I pushed the door open and entered to see my dad training with his Vigeroth. I'd never actually liked his Vigeroth – it always shot me menacing glared from the side of it's eyes, almost as if telling me to get away from my dad.

My father turned to me. "Alice!" He spoke, waling to me and bringing me into a hug. I hugged back, in spite of his hug near smothering me.

He let go after a few moments and turned to Steven. "And Mr. Stone. It's a pleasure having you at the gym." He spoke, shaking hands with Steven. "So, why have you come and stopped in Petalberg?" He asked.

"Oh, no reason, really. I was just passing by with your daughter and figured I'm come by and make sure your adjusting well." He explained.

Norman laughed, returning Vigeroth who'd, indeed been shooting my icy looks. "Oh, Alice. You mother told me you'd be coming through town!" He spoke. "She said you had a surprise for me." He explained.

"Well, actually. I guess I do." I spoke, taking two Pokeballs from my trainers belt and popping them open, revealing Vulpix, who was instantly by my side, and Ralts, who looked around the room rather cautiously, nearly tripping a few times.

"Ah! So you're going to start your own journey, now, eh?" He asked, seeming proud, as hinted by his wrapping his hand around my neck and giving me a noogie. I struggled uselessly, trying to get away. Ralts, in protest, walked up to my father and sent a wave of psychic energy at his forehead, imitating a tap like it had to me earlier.

He laughed a bit and let go of me. "Well, how did the two of you meet up?" He asked.

I blushed just slightly, feeling he wouldn't take the next part so well. I was about to try and explain when Steven stepped in.

"She needed a room at the Center in Oldale, but Nurse Joy had booked all of them already. I had been given a two in one suit, and decided to let Alice have the other half after overhearing the nurse tell her she couldn't lend out a room to Alice." He described.

"Well, as long as the two of you didn't share a bed, or anything." He spoke, sounding only slightly suspicious of Steven.

I laughed nervously. "No, no. Dad, don't worry! I'd never do anything like that." I said, trying to ease his comfort.

"Well, I'd better let you two..."

My father was just about to sat his goodbyes when a boy about my age with blond hair, blue eyes, a while dress shirt and olive colored jeans walked into the building. The way he stood... He seemed to be a timid boy.

H walked up to my father, who eyed him curiously. "Um... I'm sorry to bother you, but I was wondering... if you could help me catch a Pokemon before I move to Verdanturf Town...?" He asked, seeming intimidated by my father.

My father turned to me. "Alice, I'm sorry to bother you, but I promised the trainers in the gym that I'd help them with their training. You've caught a Pokemon already, so could you help Wally here out?" He asked.

"Oh, sure." I spoke.

My father smiled, handing Wally a few balls. "Well, I have a Zigzagoon in that ball there, and the others are all empties." He explained. "Good luck!" He spoke, walking into the left of the two doors.

I looked at the boy. "So, why don't we head on over to Route 102?" I asked.

He nodded enthusiastically. "Sure. I was thinking of starting with some of the Pokemon there, anyways." He said.

I then turned to Steven. "I'm sure it won't take too long, so if you have anything else to do in the meantime, go ahead!" I spoke, not waiting for an answer and bringing wally with me to the previous route.

…

It had been about half an hour of searching with nothing to show for our effort. Wally and I scoured the area for anything that wasn't a Poochyena, Zigzagoon or Wurmple with little luck, other than a Surskit which had escaped us with great ease.

It was then that Wally finally let out a surprised cry. "Oh, wow! A Ralts!" He exclaimed. I looked back and saw they there was, indeed, a Ralts by some bushes, keeping a watchful eye on Wally. It seemed a bit nervous, and threatened to run away at any moment.

Knowing this, I shouted "Okay! Now, send out that Zigzagoon!"

Wally nodded in comprehension and threw the ball into the air, letting out a Zigzagoon I didn't know my father to have. He must have only just caught it, taking a a shine to it, as it was a normal type.

"Aright... Uh... Tackle!" Shouted Wally, trying to sound sure of himself, pointing at the small Psychic type. Zigzagoon followed orders, rushing at it's target with surprising speed and slamming into it head first. The attack hit the small thing pretty hard, and it went flying into a tree.

"Now, use a Pokeball before it gets away!" I shouted, seeing that it was trying to get up.

Wally followed my instructions and threw a ball, near missing the small Emotion Pokemon. Regardless of the sloppy aim, it still it, bringing the Pokemon into the ball. The two of us watched for a while as it tried to escape, finally remaining still after about 2 seconds.

Wally went and picked up the ball, seeming overjoyed, seeing the wide smile he bore.

"Aright! I caught a Ralts!" He shouted, then looking at me. "Thanks so much Alice!" He said, walking over to me and bringing me into a hug. I was initially surprised, not knowing the boy well, but decided to go along with it, seeing how happy he was, in spite of my deep love for the personal bubble concept. There was no need to ruin a moment like this for him.

"Well, we'd better head back to town now. We don't want to keep everyone waiting for us." I began.

Wally nodded. So, the two of us set off, talking about both our Ralts.

…

It hadn't taken us too long to get back, though we could have admittedly gotten back much faster. We'd doddled on purpose, having gotten very in depth in out conversation. We were in the middle of discussing what type of moves we'd want out Ralts to learn. He seemed to like playing to more careful with moves, while I was more flashy and bold.

Wally handed back Zigzagoon and the extra Pokeball, which my father told Wally to keep back before saying goodbye and leaving when m father turned to both me and Steven. "Well you two. Be careful." He spoke.

He then looked at Steven and have him a grave look. "And if I every find out you've hurt Alice... You'll regret it, even if you're Champion." He threatened.

Steven smiled, though aware of his situation, made sure it wasn't in a cocky way. "Norman, trust me, there'll never be a reason for you to do something like that." He confirmed. "I'll protect her – be sure of that." He went on.

"Well then." Began my father, seeming happy to have gotten such a testimony from the Champion, "I hope you two make it safely to Rustboro." He said. "Alice, good luck in challenging the leader there. Give 'em trouble!" He encouraged.

I smiled as Steven and I left, waving to him. Having my father behind me, rooting me on meant a lot to me.


	6. Chapter 6

"Now, use Heat Wave!" I commanded loudly, pointing to a Nincada which sat in the grass, ready for it's owner to call out it's attack. If I was lucky, though, the Bug Catcher I was fighting wouldn't ever get to make such a call.

Vulpix, wanting this to be it's finishing move breathed in quickly before exhaling a maelstrom of heated winds and fire. It wasn't until after the attack that I realized how rash a move like that was in a forest, but dismissed this thought entirely when I saw the fire die down quickly, as well as the last of the enemies Pokemon; as evident my it's laying in the middle of the smoldered turf, on it's back.

The trainer groaned in disappointed, bringing the Bug/Ground Pokemon back to it's ball and congratulated it on a job well done. It was then that I realized that I hadn't exactly lost a match myself yet. I pinned this on Vulpix having already known a strong attack like Heat Wave and having already accumulated some experience in battles with it's previous trainer. At least the lady was good for something.

The trainer and I exchanged a simple handshake with encouraging words before Steven and I continued though the forested path, enjoying the warm weather and mild breeze which tousled the leaves of the trees over so slightly. The bright sun shining through the trees also gave the scene a nice effect. Vulpix seemed to agree, enjoying a nice little walk out of it's ball with Steven and I. I was a bit jealous, though, I must admit – it seemed as though Vulpix had taken a great liking to Steven as well, it's always walking close to him and brushing itself up against his leg.

"You'd better be careful next time, using a powerful move like Heat Wave in a forest." Steven said, poking mild fin at me and laughing a bit.

I feigned a hurt expression, though it was completely obvious. "Well, Mr. Stone. Not all of us are Champion." I pouted. I smiled a bit afterward, unable to keep up the silly charade for long. It was ridiculous, but he and I, well, it seemed like we'd known each other for a while longer than we had. Maybe... It was just out personalities, being a lot alike. I was never one to be able to figure trivial things like this out.

"If you keep this up, well, I'd better watch out." He spoke slightly encouragingly.

I stopped, letting out a surprised hasp when I felt my foot connect with something and send it forward. Looking down, I saw what appeared to be... A spiky cocoon? I'd seen it in a magazine, too, though it's name had slipped my mind.

I went to take out by Pokedex, but before I could even do so, Steven spoke up. "That's Cascoon, the evolved form of Wurmple. At level 10, it evolves into Dustox." He recited in a near encyclopedic tone.

I smiled confidently, deciding that it might be a nice addition to my party. "Alright, Vulpix, use..." I was cut off, however, as I had to dodge an array of poisonous needles it shot at me, seeming to have been angered when I kicked it. Steven, Vulpix and I all hid behind an overgrown stump a few feet away and I, personally let out a small yelp, having been the target of the attack. It appeared as though this one wasn't going to ho as willingly as my last two. I should have known as much – I was getting lazy, is all.

"Okay, then. Go, Ralts!" I said, bringing out the Psychic Pokemon's ball and tapping it. It came out with a happy cry, bringing it's hand to it's helmet as a sort of salute. I would have used Vulpix, but I decided not to risk poisoning any of my Pokemon.

"Alright. There's a Cascoon out there shooting Poison Sting at us." I briefed it. "I need you to catch them with your Confusion and send them back. Okay?" I asked. It nodded enthusiastically.

Then, I recalled that it knew Will-o-Wisp; having likely learned it from it's father though breeding; or so Steven told me. I decided to use this for a weak fire attack as well. "Then, Use your Will-o-Wisp. Grab it with your Confusion and hurdle it at the thing full power, okay?" I asked.

I nodded again. I smiled. "Alright then, go!" I shouted.

Ralts bounced from behind the log out onto the field and the lot of us watched from behind the log. Ralts was working beautifully, grabbing all of the poisonous needles thrown it's way and redirecting them. The Cascoon let out a little cry in pain, just as Ralts put into action the second part of the plan. It created balls of eerie, blue fire and began to spin them around; hurdling a ring of blue, spinning fireballs at the bug Pokemon at a high speed, dealing critical damage.

I jumped up from behind the log and at once, sent an empty ball at the weakened Bug Pokemon. The Cocoon Pokemon struggled some, as evident by the balls feverish movement, but the appearance betrayed, as the ball soon halted all movement.

I ran to the ball and picked it up, ecstatic to have my first real capture. Don't get me wrong – I was equally happy to have all my other Pokemon, but it felt nice to have earned it.

Steven and Vulpix then cam from the log. "Wow. That looked like a pretty nice contest move right there." Complimented Steven. Vulpix chimed in, seeming to agree with him. I eyed it in a suspicious manner, and I could have sworn I saw it stick it's tongue out at me.

"Well, whatever it was... I owe it to Ralts here!" I declared, walking to the small Emotion Pokemon and picking it up. It climbed up onto my shoulder and sat there, happily singing it's own name to a made up tune.

My face then turned to a curious expression. "So, um... Do you think it's safe to send it out, now?" I asked. I wasn't exactly sure as to how this entire thing worked, having caught my other two Pokemon because they wanted to go with me.

"Oh, yeah. Don't worry. Once you've defeated a Pokemon and caught it, it usually acknowledges you as a trainer. It won't attack." He assured me.

I sighed in relief and opened the ball, bringing out my new Cascoon. It looked up at me curiously with it's one eye. It was... In a very strange way, kind of cute.

A moment passing by without indecent, I took a Potion out of my bad and applied it onto Cascoon, who said it's own name in slight discomfort. I smiled warmly. "Now, now. It's not that bad. This is going to make you feel better in the long run, so don't worry," I assured it in as soothing a voice as I could manage, not wanting to have it's first impression of me being a horrid, tyrannical one. In a few moments, the bottle ran dry and the Bug Pokemon was as good as new, looking at me... happily?

"Steven. I think I'm going nuts." I spoke blatantly.

He laughed a bit at my sudden declaration. "Why's that now?"

"Just it's expressions... I can kind of tell how the little guy-" The Pokemon cried out, slightly offended. "Okay, okay. I can kind of tell how this _girl_ here is feeling." I spoke, careful to keep myself from offending her.

Steven laughed. "Well, maybe it's because you grew up around Pokemon. Some more experienced trainers can even tell how Pokemon like Staryu are feeling, even though it doesn't have a face." He explained.

I mouthed 'Ah', before returning Ralts and Cascoon to their ball.

Steven, Vulpix and I began to walk one more. "So, you have three Pokemon already, and you haven't even fought the first Gym." He stated, seeming the slightest bit impressed.

I smiled. "Well, I kind of wanted this one. You see – I'd seen it in a magazine I used to get back home, and I remember liking it's evolved form." I spoke.

"You man Beautifly?" He asked, his face showing disappointment for me. "Because that one doesn't evolve into the butterfly Pokemon, it turns into a Pokemon called Dustox – lit looks like a-"

I cut him off, waving my hand dismissively at his explanation. "I know, I know. I caught this one knowing that it evolves into Dustox. It's shell is more purple than the other cocoon Pokemon." I described. In truth, I'd always had a little thing for Pokemon like Venonat, Dustox and Venomoth. They were just... cute, in their own special little way. I'd rather any of the following over a Butterfree any day. I was odd sometimes.

"You're the first girl I've known that would rather a Dustox." He said.

I laughed, giving him a cheesy look. "You need to get out and meet some new girls then! Not all of us are for pretty pink dresses, makeup and all that jazz." I spoke. "I mean, sure. I like my clothing, and I use makeup in moderation, but some take it waaay to far." I went on. "I mean, a flimsy little piece of clothing that costs 15,000 Pokedollars? You've got to have more money than brains." I jibed.

Noticing that I no longer heard Steven, I look to my side. That's when I noticed I couldn't see Steven anymore. I thought nothing of it, knowing he couldn't have gotten to far and began looking around when I felt my foot land on an insecure piece of turf. I let out a yelp as I fell back down a small ledge, about 20 feet in height. I landed in some coniferous trees, which softened my blow and went on falling from branch to branch until I fell into an overgrown patch of grass, cushioning my fall.

I laid there for a moment, feeling a couple of small bruises forming, but was purely amazed that that went so well, considering I could have died if the trees hadn't been there. After contemplating some of the possible outcomes to the fall, I got up and was surprisingly happy to find that I had everything on me... The only thing missing was Vulpix... Figures it would follow Steven away from me.

I cursed under my breath, bringing my hand to my head and sighing in frustration. My strongest Pokemon, MIA.

I deiced to waste little time and looked around, finding a path not too far from where I stood. Deciding I'd be better found there, I traveled on over, sending out my Ralts along the way. I was sort of used to having a partner at all times now, you see. Whether it was Steven, Vulpix... or who knows what. I got lonely fast.

I nearly shrieked when I heard a mans voice from my side, remembering Steven telling me a while ago that something had been going on in the forest lately. I turned around slowly, prepared for the worst, but relaxed when I found a middle aged, friendly looking man with balding, gray hair, green eyes and a suit to match his eyes. He seemed a little puzzled, if not flustered.

"I don't mean to bother you... Bur have you seen a Shroomish around? I've been looking for one all day, and I haven't seen one." He near pouted.

I felt kind of sorry for the man. Here I was, having caught three Pokemon in a couple days, and this poor chap had spend all day without an ounce of success trying to find a Pokemon. I went to speak up when another voice interrupted from another trail not too far from us.

"I've been sitting here all day waiting for you to put down those goods of yours, but you've been waddling around here all day like an idiot! Enough's enough!" She shouted, sending out a Poochyena, which growled at the two of us viciously.

I walked in past the man to battle the oddly dressed trainer, seeing that he was without any Pokemon himself – a foolish move, but that didn't matter now.

The grunt laughed at me. "Psh, you need a teenage twit to help you out? How pathetic! Do you even know who the hell I am?" He asked, obviously full of himself.

"No, you see. I'm not from around here." I spoke coldly. "And I only make a point of recognizing those who're important, you see? So, needless to say... I won't be remembering that ugly mug of yours anytime soon." I jabbed. "Now Ralts, let's put this loser in his place, shall we?" I asked.

It nodded confidently and floated down gracefully down from my shoulder to the battle field using it's Confusion.

"Hell! Poochyena's a dark type. Psychic types are weak against it!" He shouted.

My demeanor remained unchanging. I stared him down, making him shift slightly in discomfort. "Thanks for the pointer, but I know that." I stated. "You see, just because Ralts is a psychic type..." I trailed off, signaling it to use the move it had to catch Cascoon. It readied itself, preparing the attack. I picked up where I left off, my voice a shout, to double as a signal to attack. "Doesn't mean that's the only type of attack it knows!"

Ralts, understanding my gesture threw the spinning circlet of fire at the dark type, catching both trainer and Pokemon off guard.

It looked like in all my lecturing, however, I had underestimated my opponent, as the small Bite Pokemon barely dodged, and made it's way up to my Ralts at a surprising speed. Living up to it's name, it took a swift, powerful Bite at my Ralts, taking it down.

I ran up to it and cradled, it while taking out it's ball. "Oh, I'm sorry! I should have been more careful!" I said, assuring it that the fault wasn't on it. "You deserve a long rest now, though." I spoke, calling it back.

"So you can talk a little, but you can't battle to save your life!" Sneered the annoying man. His attitude... He reminded me of the Team Rocket Grunts that had been parading around Goldenrod when they'd taken over the Radio Tower. Me and my father, on a strip home from the Department Store once had to beat a couple guard senseless in a double battle. I didn't have any Pokemon, but used his, being fully aware of there moveset and fighting style.

I then realized my situation. My only Pokemon now was a small Cocoon Pokemon that wasn't even meant to battle. Nervously, I took out it's ball and sent out out. It emerged, calling out it's own name proudly.

The Poochyena lunched, wasting no time. My eyes widened as I went though the moves Cascoon might possibly know.

Just as the Dark type was just about to take a bite out of my Cascoon, I called out. "Okay now! Use Harden to protect yourself, then follow up with that nice Poison Sting of yours!" I ordered, almost laughing at the memory of Steven, Vulpix and I hiding from the same attack.

Cascoon obeyed, it's color graying a slight bit as it used Harden, blasting the Bite Pokemon with Poison Sting from close range, sending the black mammalian Pokemon howling in pain.

"Shit! Use Tackle, then!" Demanded the trainer, now seeming serious.

I was going to ask that Cascoon do the same, but the Poochyena's speed beat my own, and Cascoon was sent flying at me. I managed to grab it before it managed to jab me with any of it's spines, amazed that I'd managed to keep myself from lacerating one of my hands.

"Oh, Cascoon... Do you think you can keep on going...?" I asked warmly, noting it's tired expression.

Then, drawing energy from what seemed to be nowhere, it began wriggling feverishly in my hands while shouting it's own name loudly with a renewed energy. I was surprised, seeing that it actually managed to shake out of my grip, landing on the ground. Then, much to my surprise, it began to glow a brilliant silver-white.

My eyes widened and it's form began to shift from a small, round spike ball to that Pokemon I had seen years ago. In a matter of moment, a Dustox was flapping its wings before me, almost as though showing off in a carefree manner. It cried it's own name joyously, seeing happy to have shed it's inefficient, slow form.

I smiled and brought out my Pokedex. It's entry read "Dustox, the Toxic Moth Pokémon. Dustox is the evolved form of Cascoon and is drawn toward bright light. When flapping its wings, it will scatter a poison dust." Below that, it's level was displayed; 10, and it's moves were shown. It now knew Tackle, Confusion, Poison Sting, Harden.

I smiled, feeling a sense of joy as I pointed to the enemy Poochyena with renewed hopes. "Now, use Poison Sting once more, Dustox!" I commanded.

Dustox complied, but added a little twist to the attack. Having seen Ralts's little spectacle, it manipulated the poisonous barbs in midair so that they shot at the small Bite Pokemon from all angles, wearing it down until it finally fainted.

The enemy trainer scowled and returned his Pokemon. Then, he turned to us. "You little... You've got nerve messing with Team Aqua!" He shouted. "But it doesn't matter... We have something we're after in Rustboro, you see." He trailed off, before realizing the lot of us were still here, eying him dangerously.. "I'll... I'll let you off for today, you!" He shouted, taking off into the direction he came.

Dustox; victorious, landed on my head. I briefly wondered why my Pokemon always seemed to rest my my shoulders... or in this case, head when the man I had nearly forgotten about spoke up.

"Wow, that was close! If you hadn't come along..." He paused. "Well, let's just be glad you did! Here, take this." He said, taking my hand and placing in it what I knew to be a great ball. "It's not much, but I'd all I really have on me right now..." He said, seeming unsatisfied with the reward he'd given me.

"Oh, no! This is more than enough! Thanks a bunch!" I said happily, gladly pocketing the ball.

It was just then that his expression went to a distant, thoughtful one. Then, all of a sudden, his expression was overcome with alarm. "But wait... didn't he say he wanted something in Rustboro...?" He asked. I went to answer, but he seemed to have asked the question without expecting an answer. "Oh no, it's a disaster! Sorry, I need to go now!" He shouted, running down the path to the right side of the one I had come from.

I was about to ask him to stop so he might give me some direction when I realized he'd just said he was pretty much going to Rusboro. Smiling, I followed.

After five minutes of walking though, I began to hear doorsteps from close behind me. Paranoid from the recent set of events, I turned around and shouted without a thought "Now Dustox! Use Confusion!" I ordered.

Two figures; one human and the other looking like a four footed mammal quickly dodged the blast of psychic energy by hiding behind a tree. A eyed it suspiciously. "You... You team Aqua cronies... Get out here or I'll blast you with Poison Sting!" I threatened. I was unsure if I could even go through with the threat, so I prayed desperately that they might listen. I didn't think I was even capable of such an act, and if I was... I'd likely never forgive myself.

And to my surprise, they did... Though it wasn't exactly a Team Aqua member. Instead, Steven, with his hands up came from behind the tree; his hands up and laughing nervously. Vulpix cam from behind, wide eyes at my threat. "Remind me to never surprise you again." He said, sarcastically. Vulpix parroted his tone, but instead spoke it's own name.

I gasped in surprise. "Oh, Steven, Vulpix! I'm sorry, I didn't mean..." I trailed off, feeling embarrassed of the whole situation.

"Nah, don't worry. You did the right thing." He assured me. "But Team Aqua, you say?" He asked, seeming serious now.

"Oh.. yeah. I ran into one earlier..." I spoke. "They wanted some good from a Devon Employee..." I said, noting that the pattern 'DEVON' was sewn into the mans suit in gold thread. "And they went on to say that they wanted something from Rustboro." I went on.

"Ah... Well then, let me just call my dad to make sure he knows about this. I'm sure he'll be able to handle it." He said, walking off a few meters and taking out his Pokenav. I was about to ask him why he was calling his father on the matter, of all things when I remembered that he was the son of the owner of Devon.

Worry sank into me heart just as Steven returned, his cool demeanor still remaining. "So, what did he have to say?" I asked, unable to keep slight amounts of worry from leaking through my voice.

"Oh, don't worry Alice. We have state of the art security there. Now that he's making sure to add some extra, we should be fine." He explained. Just as he finished explaining, though, his expression changed into a more serious one. "But, promise me you'll never challenge a member of Team Aqua like that again. They're dangerous, Alice. You'd be surprised as to what they'd to to win." He warned.

I was about to protest, but seeing the serious look in Steven's eyes told be arguing with him would be a drawn out battle I'd probably end up losing.

He smiled a bit, glad to have coaxed the answer he was looking for out of me. "So," He began, seeming to want to start on a new subject. "I see your little friend there evolved." He spoke, noting the Poison/Bug Pokemon on my head.

I smiled, bringing my joyous Dustox from on my head, onto my hand and in front of Steven for him to analyze. "Yeah, actually. I would have lost of they didn't." I explained. "I owe the battle to them."

"Well then." He spoke. "Why don't we head on to Rustboro for your first battle?" He asked, his trademark smile apparent again.

I was thrilled for my first battle, but another side lamented having to say goodbye to Steven soon. I hid this, however, not wanting to seem like a clingly, teenage girl and responded. "Yeah, okay." In a happy-go-lucky tone.

Then, we were off.


	7. Chapter 7

Steven and I had now parted ways, much to my chagrin. He'd gone to a gargantuan building which I now knew to be the Devon Corp. building. I, on the other hand had gone to the Pokemon Center and dropped off my Pokemon to be healed. While I was waiting, I went to the town's mart and stocked up on some more supplies, noting that the ones I had steadily wore thin with small battles along my way. I'd wanted to challenge the leader today, but I'd noticed that the time had flown right past me – it already being 7:45PM when I got back to the center.

I quietly sat at a small table by the windows of the center, staring off into the city with was showered with a curtain of pinkish-orange light from the gorgeous sunset over what I'd learned to be Meteor Falls. The nurse had told be about it briefly, noticing that I had been staring off into that direction.

She had indeed caught me staring at the mountain, but not in curiosity or wonderment of it. I'd just been looking that was as I silently lamented my journey with Steven being over. It was selfish, him being champion and all. Having made friends with Will and Karen of the Elite Four back in Johto, I know very well that being a member of the league was a busy job. Regardless, it didn't stop me from missing him.

My Pokemon all ate their food around me as I ate a side of plain salad and some spaghetti. As they ate, however, they seem to chat amongst one and other. I smiled a bit, wondering if they were perhaps poking fun at me for being so silly. Or maybe it was the odd trainer that had been in the corner of the Center all day, fussing over his Beautifly while murmuring something in a rushed, inaudible tone.

I sighed, looking down at my half eaten meal. I wasn't in the mood for eating right now, and decided to call it a night once my Pokemon finished their food. I was excited about my Gym battle, yes... But it would be advantageous to us if we were fully rested when we went and did so. And besides, I wasn't even sure if the gyms were open at this time. I wasn't about to make my way there and find out it was close for the night.

Feeling a tad bit lonely, I looked over at my Pokemon, smiling a bit. How silly I was for wanting to start a conversation with beings I couldn't even fully understand. "So, are you guys all ready for the gym tomorrow?" I asked. I'd gone over the while fiasco with them earlier, explaining everything about the Pokemon league, and they seemed pretty up for it.

They cheered happily, seeming as rambunctious as ever. I stared off out the window again, deep in thought. I was at a loss as to what type of Pokemon the leader would have. I mean, it seemed to be a bit of a tradition among leagues to have Rock-type gym leaders as their first, but... Falkner from Violet City back in Johto broke out of that stereotype, using Flying type.

I snapped out of my thoughts, seeing my Pokemon finished their meal. I went on and cleaned up most of the mess at my table, not wanting to leave too much a mess for the busy nurse. I was surprised the lady wasn't running around the building snapping necks, seeing how busy she could be.

Laughing at the thought, I brought the trays back to their place and went back to my Pokemon, proudly holding a room key. I had remembered to get one earlier today, not wanting to have to gamble sleeping in another mysterious man's room. Steven had been good, yes... But I knew there were men out there that didn't have morals at his level.

Having actually found my way through the building, I opened my door, letting in my Pokemon, who scattered through the room, playing something along the lines of tag. I followed behind, locking the door and dropped my things by the side of my bed.

The room was a fair size with off white walls, a few paintings and a large sliding window leading to a small deck on the wall across from me. To my right was a door which I was sure lead to a washroom. The room was simply, though, having only a bed in the far left corner with a night stand before it and a large dresser on the far side of the right wall.

Satisfied with the room, I turned to my team. "Alright, I'm going to get cleaned up and ready for bed. Be good, okay?" I asked. They nodded me off quickly before going back to their game. I could have returned them all, yes... But they seemed to be having too much fun for that.

Wasting no time, I immediately entered the washroom, shed my clothes and near dove into the warm shower, which made the hairs stand up on my back, it felt so good... Thous saying that, I suppose the latter is sort of impossible in a shower.

…

I exited the bathroom in a pair of pajamas that was made up of a baggy black shirt with a pair of baggy pants made of a thin material with a Lunatone/Solrock/Starmie pattern on them. I looked a little childish like this, but I didn't care whatsoever. They were the most comfortable pants I'd ever owned, and I'd be damned if I let someone make me stop wearing them.

I was happy to see that my Pokemon had tuckered themselves out, and now slept through various points in my room. Dustox had landed on the dresser and fallen asleep on top of that, initially leading my to believe it had knocked something down, there being nothing on there as it slept. In investigating, however, I found that there had been nothing there to begin with. Vulpix slept in the pile of clothing I had thrown onto the floor, too lazy to deal with right now with Ralts snuggling into it's tails. It was a cute sight, really – I regretted not taking along a camera now. Maybe I'd go and do that tomorrow.

Seeing everything as I wanted it, I decided to finally get to bed, slowly crawling into the comfortable, soft bed with downy blankets and shuffled around briefly before settling with a nice position. From there, it seemed like only moments before I fell asleep.

…

I woke up, aware of a furry, warm weight on my face. Knowing it to be Vulpix, I took a firm bite down on their paw, but nothing too hard, not wanting to hurt it for it's upcoming battle. They immediately jumped up, kicking my face in the process and shot me a dirty look, as though they weren't at fault in the slightest.

I smiled coyly. "Well, you were sleeping on my face, what did you expect?" I asked. "And don't look at me like that, you've already gotten your revenge, see?" I asked, pointing to what I assumed was a small scratch from it's nails. "So, stop it with the sour face. It might freeze that way one day." I threatened, though playfully so.

Vulpix seemed to take the threat as a reality, though, immediately letting it's face back to what it was. I laughed a bit at being gullible, but it did nothing really but let out a dismissive cry, determined to avoid it's face from being contorted in an unpleasant manner like I had said it would.

By now, Ralts and Dustox were awake too, so I got my butt in gear, getting dressed and going through my morning routine. Afterwards, I went on to get breakfast for my Pokemon and I; my breakfast being a pear and a side of fries. It was random, yes, but at the moment I was really craving both foods. I had always been this way, craving the most random of foods, so my mom would always jokingly tease me about supposedly being pregnant because of my cravings. The one time, I scared her half the death by turning around with a serious face, simply uttering 'I am.'

I was grounded for three days after that... I laughed a bit to myself. It was worth it.

My small laughter caught the attention of my Pokemon, who'd finished their meals and were apparently energetic once more. Knowing this, I finished my remaining fries and went to my room where I packed up my things, turning in my key when I exited. I also brought my Pokemon back to their balls, knowing it to be a hot day. I wanted to have as much an edge on the leader as possible, even if it was something insignificant like my party not feeling too hot.

With a certain hop to my step, it took about 20 or so minutes to get from the center to the Gym. Again, though, I was busy admiring the sights of the city. Everything was a rustic color and there were many old buildings here. The sea sent a cool breeze coursing through the town, and the sound of church bells could be heard in the distance. The towns streets, of coarse, were littered with people, all seeming happy and content. Enjoying the beautiful towns atmosphere, I entered the gym in a good mood.

Walking into the building, I looked around. Seeing nobody, I called out "Hello! Is anybody here?"

My voice echoed through the loud stadium, and soon a girl about my age came out from one of the doors to the side. She had brown hair, which was pulled back into an odd set of two ponytails by an odd pink headpiece. Her eyes were a bright, warm brown and she wore a blue dress, reminiscing of a school girls uniform; having a while collar, pink cravat and wore blue shoes, matching the skirt and pink stalkings, colored like the cravat.

"May I help you?" She asked, a small smile evident on her petite face.

"Well, yes. I was wondering if the leader was around." I explained.

Her smile grew larger, a confidence and eagerness now present in her brown eyes. "You're looking at the de facto leader of the Rustboro Gym. I'm Roxanne." She explained, offering me a hand to shake.

I did so, silently cursing. It seemed like every time I turned around I was shaking someone's hand. To top it off, I wasn't too much a touchy-feely person... So this really got to me. Regardless of my irritation, I spoke kindly. "And I'm Alice." I introduced, copying the smile she'd worn earlier.

She then made her way quickly to the room from which she's been in before I'd come along and brought out a middle aged referee with a balding head of gray hair and a standard referee uniform. She and the referee then made their way to their respective zone. The ref cleared his throat before speaking. "The battle between leader and challenger will now begin! Both sides will use two Pokemon each, and the battle is over when all three of one side's Pokemon are unable to battle! In addition, only the challenger is allowed to substitute Pokemon!" He finished, waving his flags to signal the start.

"Well then, let's go! Geodude!" Shouted the young leader, hurdling into the field a ball which let out a Geodude that sat there patiently, waiting for a command.

I did some quick thinking before deciding on Vulpix. A poor match up, but Dustox was worse, and I needed to save my trump card for a last resort. Besides, Geodude's Special Defenses were much lower than it's regular ones, and it's speed had nothing over Vulpix's. It just might be an even fight, after all. "Alright Vulpix! Take the stage!" I called, throwing it's ball into the air, letting out the yellow Fire Type. It emerged with a cry, taking a readied battle stance.

"Oh, wow! It's not everyday you see a Pokemon come in with colors like that!" Complimented Roxanne before calling out an attack. "Now Geodude, use Rock Throw!"

Geodude broke it's silence and suddenly jumped up, plummeting back to the earth and smashing it's fist into the earth. The result was a blast of rock pieces having shattered from the floor and now flew towards my partner.

"Quick! Use Quick Attack to get out and get close, followed my Heat Wave!" I ordered.

Vulpix did just that, racing out of the way of the attack and towards the Rock Pokemon, unleashing a familiar torrent of scorching air and smoldering fire towards the Geodude. It hit; Geodude being a slow Pokemon without any legs. Regardless, it still took it's toll on the small Rock Pokemon.

"Quick, use Rock Tomb!" Shouted Roxanne.

I wasn't sure if the Geodude was even able to attack, being engulfed in the fire, but I didn't want to be cocky and assume so, then lose the battle for it. "Now, dash through the flames and use Hypnosis! I shouted.

Vulpix, acting quickly, did just that and went on unharmed, as it's Ability Flash Fire kept fire attacks from hurting it. Then when the flames cleared, Geodude's line if vision was set on Vulpix. It was about to go on and attack when Vulpix began to emit a red light from it's eyes, which soon came from the Geodude's. Within moments, the foe was asleep.

The referee then spoke up. "Geodude is unable to battle. Vulpix is the victor!"

Roxanne, flustered called back her Geodude, smiling up at me after doing so. "That was some strategy there. I'm guessing you're new to this whole thing, seeing your challenging me... but your technique leads me to believe that you've been going at this for much longer." She said, almost asking me for a bit of an explanation.

I laughed a bit, realizing this to be a tad bit true. "Well, I haven't been a trainer for very long, your right there... but I've been around them since I was a baby. I've learned a few things, here and there." I spoke. Living with a leader, in truth, gave you quite an edge, at least in the theory of battling.

"Well then, let's see how you do against Nosepass!" She yelled, sending out an odd rock type with a prominent, red nose. She started her attack immediately, loudly calling out "Use Rock Tomb!"

I was unsure of the attack, not having truly seen it when Geodude tried to use it. Before I could decide on a move, though, a ring of tall rocks surrounded Vulpix. Then, before I could even react, Roxanne called out her next move, ordering Nosepass to use Rock throw. I called out for Vulpix too try and dodge, but it didn't help much. In the small ring, Vulpix couldn't even try to evade, and was pummeled into submission.

After the attack, the Rock Tomb disappeared and I walked out onto the field, finding Vulpix, beaten by the Rocks. I smiled at it warmly, feeling guilty that my own shortcoming lead it it'd being hurt. "I'm sorry I couldn't do a better job for you there. You did an excellent job, though." I comforted it, before bringing it back to it's ball.

Having done that, I took out my Ralt's ball and throw it onto the field. "Okay, Ralts! Let's give them trouble!" I shouted, Ralts appearing from the beam of white light let out by the ball. It said it's own name happily and turned to face it's opponent.

"A Ralts, huh? Well, this should get very interesting!" Commented Roxanne, seeming fired up. "Now, use Rock Tomb, followed by Rock Throw!" Commanded the brunette, pointing at the small Emotion Pokemon.

In a moments notice, the same rings was around my Ralts. This time, however, I reacted quickly, knowing exactly what to expect from Nosepass. "Use Confusion to hover out of there, quickly! Them take control of the rocks and pelt it with those!" I commanded.

Then, before Roxanne had a chance to interject, Nosepass hopped up and landed on the ground, sending forth a blast of rocks. My Ralts, however, caught them in midair and proceeded to start to spin them in a cyclical style, throwing them with great precision, one by one at the Compass Pokemon. Each blast did little, though their combined power seemed to take a took on it's health.

Roxanne quickly saw her situation, as evident by the aggravated, concentrated expression apparent on her face. She couldn't get close, I could escape her Rock Tomb with ease and any rocks thrown at me would be redirected. As a last ditch effort, she once again called out for Nosepass to use Rock Throw.

Ralts, of coarse, caught the rocks in midair without my even commanding it to, but this time went on to patch them into a makeshift boulder, which it threw with some evident strain at the Rock Type. I suppose the wight of the object was still a little much for Ralts. Regardless, Nosepass let out a cry as the rock hit it, shattering into it's original pieces as it did so.

When the dust cleared, Nosepass laid on the ground, obviously unconscious. Seeing this, the referee, who'd been silent the entire time, called out "All of the leader's Pokemon are unable to battle! Alice is the winner!"

I stood there for a moment or two, surprised with myself that I'd actually gone and pulled it off. It didn't exactly sink in that I had actually beaten a leader, for real.

I jumped when I realized Roxanne had made her way to me, a badge shaped like a rectangle with two of its corners more emphasized then the others on a small case, held up in front of me by the witty leader. "Alice, you did excellently. It's my honor to present to you the Stone Badge. You and your Pokemon earned it." She said, seeming a bit upset to have lost, but seemingly accepting it with a graceful stride.

I took it, them smiled at her. "Roxanne... Thank you so much! You fought well, too." I thanked.

"And, I'm sure you're aware of TMs and HMs, right?" She asked, having a disk in her hand which I hadn't spotted before it's mentioning.

"Oh, yes... Why do you ask?" I questioned, oblivious to her suggestion.

"Well, it's not every day I do this, so don't go telling anyone. But... I'd like you to take this. It's TM39, Rock Tomb." She spoke, placing the small disk into my hand. "I see none of the Pokemon on your current party can't learn it... But I'm sure it's come in handy to you one day." She spoke, now walking back to the room to which she's previously been in. "It was nice battling with you. Come again some time!" She called out, waving goodbye.

I nodded, imitating her waving gesture. "I'll be sure to do that!" I spoke happily.

I skipped out of the gym with Ralts happily following behind. This wasn't a half bad morning, if I do say so, myself.


	8. Chapter 8

Hey guys! Thanks so much for reading! I'm just typing this to ask that you maybe review? I'd love to improve, but I need you to tell me how to do that. Thanks!

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I walked out of the gym happily with an energetic beat apparent in my steps with Ralts happily following behind. This wasn't a half bad morning, if I do say so, myself. I mean, I'd only been at this for a few days, and I already had a badge to show for my efforts. Some people, they were at this for months without success.

However, fate wasn't one to let me go by scot free.

Out from the corner of an eye, the same man, a member of Team Aqua as I remember went on running from the Devon building screaming something along the lines of "Get out of my way!" He ran right by me, up the street and made a right before the man I had helped out earlier went running after him, slowed down by his excess weight.

I looked down at my Ralts who looked somewhat incredulous of the entire situation, letting out a questioning cry.

I laughed a bit. "Well, I know you're a tired, but I think it'd be best to help them out. What do you say?" I asked, eager myself to put a stop to the petty thief. I'd put them in their pace once - I was sure I could do it again.

Ralts smiled too, this time calling it's own name out in a determined way.

I smiled. "Okay. Just hold on a second, though." I asked, taking my bag off and locating a Super Potion. From there, I called out my Vulpix. I was extremely thankful that they had withstood unconsciousness when they were hit with that Rock Throw from Nosepass, as they were out of Revives when I'd gone to the mart earlier.

"Well Vulpix, this brings back memories, now doesn't it?" I asked, smiling at the memories as I gently tended to it's wounds. They were nothing much, just a few scrapes, and most likely a few bruises... Though it's thick fur made that hard for me to tell. Vulpix let out a happy, though somewhat weak cry as I sprayed the medicine on it's wounds, slowly perking the mammalian up to the point of it's standing, happy and confident.

I picked up my things and brought Ralts back to it's ball. "Well, we've got to go catch a thief now! Come on!" I called, starting off.

Of coarse, my Vulpix hadn't the slightest issue keeping up with me, having to actually slow down once or twice, seeing that it was getting too far ahead. In a matter of minutes, I managed to find my way to the man I had met earlier, clearly winded and standing up against the black, cast iron fence for support.

He noticed me, and slowly made his way to me, almost tripping a couple times. Regardless, he seemed happy to see me. "Oh! It's you!" He said enthusiastically. "I... I was just on break with the guards when that guy came rushing in and snatched the goods! C, could you go in there and get them back for me? If I don't get those back... I'm going to be in serious trouble..." He gasped, looking up at me for an answer.

"Of coarse. That's the reason you came up here, after all." I chimed.

He smiled. "Oh, thank you so much! I'll be sure to repay you." He promised.

I began to walk towards the route. "Don't worry. You don't need to pay me at all!" I shouted back. I then went on to a mild jog to make sure my slow pace didn't let the thief get away.

…

I was slightly aggravated right now, having wasted about 15 minutes with a few trainers on the route who had refused to take no for an answer to a battle. Luckily for me, they weren't too strong, only my poor Ralts having fainted. In addition to that, each pointed me along the way, the last trainer telling me they'd gone and run into a 'Rusturf Tunnel'.

I walked for about five more minuted before coming to a small clearing with a small mountain with a hole, appearing man made at the base with a furious looking man.

In spite of his apparent horrid mood, I decided that I'd ask him of the was the cave. I knew it probably was, but I'd gone on, thinking the same thing before, having wound up in a situation I really didn't intent.

Walking up to him, I made sure to ask in an extraordinarily nice voice. "Excuse me, sir. I'm sorry to bother you, but is this, by any chance, Rusturf Tunnel.

He looked down at me, smiling a bit. "Oh! I'm sorry lass, I didn't mean to let you hear any of that." He spoke, with a slight accent. "Anyways, yes, this be the tunnel." He confirmed.

I smiled, and was about to thank him for his help when I saw him eye my Vulpix before speaking. "Aye... Could I ask you a small favor?" He asked, seeming a bit desperate.

I was in a rush, but decided it was only fair. "Well, sure." I said, quickly, hoping he'd do the same.

He smiled. "Thank you!" He spoke. "You see, some bloody boy wearing a blue bandana and a striped shirt went rushing into there. The scoundrel made of with my dear Peeko!" He exclaimed, letting his anger one again show. He caught himself off guard though, and quickly straightened himself out. "So, I was wondering... If you could get my Peeko back for me?" He asked.

I grinned. "I was after the guy anyways! I'll be sure to come back with your Peeko!" I assured him, running into the cave before they had a chance to say anything. I had already taken too long getting through here. For all I knew, this man was on the other side of the tunnel by now, laughing as he thought he'd gotten away with his crimes.

Going through the cave, I'd come across a lot of Whismur. I was nervous of them, having read their Pokedex entry, which told the that there cries were... Loud, to say the least. I never was one for noisy environments... and the instability in the cave, as hinted by the numerous cracks made me all the more wary of them. I doubted their cries would be enough, but I wasn't one to make a gable of that sorts.

That's when I spotted the Aqua Grunt, looking around the tunnel, seeming hopeless of the situation. I wondered why at first, but I soon figured out that this was a one route path – the only way out, well... There wasn't a way out, aside from the way we'd both gotten in, luckily.

That's when I noticed that the criminal's Poochyna was keeping a frightened Wingull, which I assumed to be the Peeko the man at the entrance had asked me to retrieve. The vicious dark type would growl at it whenever it made so much as a small movement. Watching that, I truly felt sorry for the little thing. At the same time though, it sort of reminded me of Professor Birch being chased by that wild Poockyena a little while ago.

I smiled, letting the happiness of trumping this guy's little scheme get to me. "Hey! Having a little trouble finding your way out?" I asked, taunting them.

He glared daggers at me and barked his answer. "Shit! Here I am, making a perfect escape and even took a hostage! Then what happens? I run into a freaking tunnel that doesn't even have an end!" His anger was evident, but I wasn't at all scared. Even if he did try to play things unfairly, I had three Pokemon. He only had one. If he tried anything funny, I had backup.

"Serves you right, stealing those goods and treating that Wingull so poorly." I taunted.

He pointed at me, catching his Dark type Pokemon's attention. "Go, use Bite!" He ordered, furious at the situation.

I was initially surprised by his directing the attack at me, but brushed it off quickly, having only recently suspected he just might go and do that. "Vulpix, use Quick Attack to intercept!" I countered.

Vulpix ran from behind me as a quickened pace, smashing it's head into the Poochyena's ribs. It let out a yelp and was knocked back, but got back up, ready to attack again.

"Gah! Go, Tackle it!" He commanded. The small Bite Pokemon obeyed, making a b-line towards my Vulpix at a surprising speed.

Knowing Vulpix was unable to counter such a move physically, so I decided to go with it's specialty. "Alright Vulpix! Time for a little Heat Wave!" I shouted.

Vulpix took a breath in and exhaled, letting out the scorching attack, which brightened the cave with it's intense flames. The enemy Pokemon barked out in pain, leading me to feel sorry for it, having taking the brunt of all this for it's trainer.

In a moments time, the smoke cleared up, revealing the small Pokemon to have fainted, laying motionless on the ground. The trainer returned his Pokemon, looking disappointed, disgusted and enraged by his, and the Poochyena's performance.

"Great! You've officially gotten me the boot out of Team Aqua! You happy now!" He demanded.

I smiled pleasantly. "Yes, very much so. Now, would you please hand me the Wingull and those goods?" I asked, gesturing to the package he held in his right arm.

He huffed and shouted to me "You want them so much, you freaking pain in the ass? Go on them, take 'em!" He growled. He threw the package to me from across the cave, which I caught, nearly dropping it twice. He then went on, running past me, side swiping my arm in the process. I let out a little grunt, but did nothing, happy to have accomplished what I came her for.

Done with the grunt, I congratulated Vulpix. "You sure showed them, Vulpix." I commented. It, in turn let out a victorious cry and puffed out it's chest, which I went in to push with my finger until they fell on their backs. They let out a dramatic, displeased cry. I laughed a little bit before turning to the nervous Wingull which stood in the corner.

However, before I could go on to get it, the man at the mouth of the cave came truanting through the tunnel towards his Wingull, picking it up and placing it on his shoulders. He laughed a little with it, obviously happy to have been reunited with them. It was sort of sweet.

He then turned to me. "Lass, thank you so much for saving my Peeko!" He spoke, seeming tremendously grateful. "Sorry for not introducing myself earlier to you. I'm Mr. Briney. What do they call you?" He asked.

"It's great to meet you, Mr. Briney! I'm Alice Maple." I spoke. "And this here is my partner, Vulpix." I added, gesturing to Vulpix, who'd now gotten up, and was in the middle of shooting me dirty looks for pushing it over.

"Ah! Well, I'm sincerely thankful for what you've done for us here today! If you ever need a boat ride anywhere, you can come see me in my cottage, just outside of Petalburg woods. I'd be glad to ferry you anywhere you like!" He said. "I do hope you'll stop by some time."

I had never actually been traveling over the ocean before, so I made a mental note to do so later on, linking the idea very much. "Well then. I'll just have to take you up on that sometime." I agreed.

He let out a hardy laugh. "Well then, Ms. Alice. I hope to see you soon!" He said, waving goodbye as he exited the cave. I followed, happy to breath fresh air again, having been inhaling the smell of singed fur for the past few minutes.

It took a very short amount of time for me to get back to the Devon employee, who was anxiously waiting my a nearby lamp post, eying his watch with a worried expression. When he saw with with the goods, however, his expression instantly brightened.

I neared him, handing him the good, which he eagerly took. "Thank you so much for getting these back to me!" He said, seeming deeply relieved.

I laughed a bit, both happy to see him this happy, and laughing at how silly he seemed, with all the trouble the goods he'd been hauling around seemed to cause both him and myself. "It's not a problem, really." I assured him.

Regardless of my dismissive stance towards my achievement, he went on and bought another Great Ball from his pocket, handing it to me. "Here, take this, it's the least I could do for you." He spoke. "And... If you could come with me. I'd like to show you into the Devon building, if you have the time?" He asked.

I seemed unsure of why he'd want me to go there, but decided to go with it. I didn't have anything else to really do today, so why not?

So, the two of us made our way through the busy crowds and into the building. From there, we went into an elevator and went to the top floor, which was extravagantly decorated. There were many paintings on the walls, a rich red carpet and display cases featuring rare stones all over the room.

"Anyways, thanks a bunch for helping me." He thanked, once more. "But, I was wondering if I could ask _one_ more thank of you." He spoke, seeming to feel somewhat guilty for burdening me so much.

"It depends. What do you need?" I asked.

"Well, I need to get these goods to Slateport City... but I'm afraid that if I take them there, another member of Team Aqua will just come and take them away again." He explained. "So, I'm asking that maybe you could take this package to Shipyard there." He finished.

"Alright. I'd gladly take them there." I agreed.

"And, if it isn't too much trouble, the president would like to speak to you." He added. "If you could come with me?" He asked, making his way to the front of the room where a large chair was turned to a window. Only a speck of graying hair could be seen at the very top, confirming the presence of a man who I'd previously been unaware of.

Walking to the chair, it turned to reveal a middle aged man, perhaps in his mid fifties. He smiled up at me, seeming to be a very friendly man. He was plump, wearing a blue and black, vertical pin stripe suit.

"Ah! I'm Mr. Stone!" He introduced. My eyes widened only a bit – this was Steven's father!

He coughed a bit, perhaps having a mild cold. "So, I've heard quite a bit about you! You saved our staff not only once, but twice!" He exclaimed.

I laughed a bit awkwardly. It was just... so very, _very_ awkward for me to have people praise me. I liked to work alone, in the background. Being the center of attention was something I wasn't used to , and didn't like one bit. "It wasn't much, I assure you." I spoke, trying to get across that I didn't go out and pull off some super heroic stunt.

"Ah, well, you've proved yourself in my eyes." He spoke. "And that being said, I'd also like to ask a favor of you." He explained, getting down to business. "I understand that my employee here had asked you to deliver that package there to Slateport for us." He said, gesturing to the small box in my hands. "I was just wondering if you could, along the way, stop by Dewford town and deliver this letter..." He trailed off, going into his desk and pulling out an elaborately decorated, purple envelope.

He began talking once more. "Could you please deliver this to my son-"

I smiled, cutting him off. "Oh? To Steven?" I asked, my lips curling into a smile. "Yes, of coarse. It'll be nice to say hello to him again." I spoke.

He seemed a little confused by my comment, so I quickly decided to explain myself. "Oh, you see. He helped me through Petalburg Woods and gave me a few newbie pointers. He'd a nice guy, and it'll be nice to see him again." I explained.

"Ah! He mentioned somebody traveling with him." He exclaimed. "Well then, if my son deemed you as a promising trainer, I guess there isn't really much for me to worry about, is there." He said, smiling at me.

I smiled, blushing a bit. _He called me a promising trainer_? "I'll try my best, I can promise you that." I assured him.

"Good, good!" He spoke, bending down behind his desk and taking out a small device to which I immediately recognized to be a Pokenav. My father had purchased one when we had first moved here. He handed it to me.

"I'm not one to ask for favors without compensation. Please, take this for your efforts." He offered.

I did so, then looked up at him, a silly grin on my face. "Oh! Thanks so much!" I cried. This wasn't anything cheap. My father, as I recall it paid around 13,000 for his.

"Anyways, let me tell you a bit about it." He said, getting out of his chair and making his way to me, leaning in so he could describe to me the features. He opened up the device, which immediately turned on and went in revealing a menu which offered me the options to call someone and a regions map, with a dot showing me where I was. In addition to this, there was even a little in-box for me to check e-mail, and for other trainers to issue me challenges.

The president went on into the contacts list on the Pokenav and registered a number in there. When he finished, I found that he had added himself as a contact.

He got up, smiling down at me. "Alright. I registered myself in there for you. Could you call me when you're finished delivering those parts and the letter?" He asked.

I nodded confidently. "Yeah, no problem." I assured him.

He smiled. "Well then, Alice. Thanks a bunch for helping us out so much! I hope to hear from you, soon!" He said, walking back to his seat and letting himself fall into it.

I waved good bye as I got up and began to walk to the exit. "It was a pleasure. I'll call you when I'm done!" I confirmed.

With that, I was off. I unconsciously smiled, eager for my trip across the Hoenn sea.


	9. Chapter 9

Thank you to those that went and reviewed my story, I really appreciate it. Through that, I went on to realize that my story was filled with little typos and the like... For reading all the way through all of those mistakes, well... Thanks, again. You guys are great for putting up with me.

So, I went through the last eight chapters, catching as many mistakes as I could and fixing them. With my analytical abilities, there are likely many more errors, but I feel I did a half decent job getting at least some. I'll make sure, though, with my next chapters to read them **thoroughly**, and not just skim through before posting. I learned my lesson, and I have you guys to thank for that.

Please, keep the reviews coming!

* * *

I walked out from the Devon building and immediately went and dialed my mother's number, anxious to call her over the new took. It took a few rings for anyone to pick up, so I assumed she was probably out of the house, going about something like gardening. She'd been taking about the new house having a big garden, and she was apparently very eager to put it to use.

"...Hello?" Her voice came through the Pokenav with surprising clarity. I'd expected the sound to be decent, but it was honestly just as if I were speaking through a telephone. It was pretty great for a small, device fitted around my wrist. I'd have to make sure to tell Mr. Stone that when I called him later.

"Hey mom!" I greeted happily. It was nice to talk to her again. It felt odd, sometimes, not being able to talk to her whenever I wanted to, anymore. Seventeen years hadn't come and gone without at least a _little_ attachment.

"Oh, Alice honey! How are you doing?" She exclaimed, as energetic as ever. It was funny, seeing your own mother being able to go and run laps around you, but... I suppose I could just be a lazy person. So, there wasn't even much surprise in my that, I suppose.

"I'm doing good, actually. I got my first gym badge today!" I spoke, unable to keep myself from sounding deliriously happy. I probably sounded like one of those crazed girls I saw back in Oldale Town.

"That's my girl! I'm so proud of you!" She said, evidently as happy as I was, as noted by her tone, which was identical to mine. "Keep it up, and your going to be back in Petalburg, earning your Balance Badge!' She called out.

I smiled at her enthusiasm and confidence in me. It felt amazing, having people backing me up like this. "Thanks a lot, mom." I spoke. "Anyways... before I go, could I ask you a favor?" I asked, suddenly remembering my own father having his own Pokenav.

"Oh, sure." She agreed. "What is it?"

I smiled. "Well, Dad has a Pokenav, too. I was wondering if you could just make sure to get him to register me in his when he gets home tonight?" I asked. "I don't want to have to wait around all day, just in case I really need to phone him for something." I explained.

"Oh! Oh coarse honey! I'll make sure I do that." She assured me. "Anyways, I've got to get going now! There's someone at the door." She explained, a slight knocking heard in the distance from my Pokenav. If I was right, it was probably Mrs. Birch, coming for a visit. A gut feeling told me that the two were just meant to be good friends.

"Alight then. Bye." I spoke.

"I'll talk to you soon! Bye, Alice!" She said, finally hanging up the phone.

I sighed, though this time a happy one. It was refreshing to have such a pleasant conversation.

Sending out Vulpix, I made my way to the Pokemon Center, having my Pokemon examined and healed by Nurse Joy. I waited around, having my lunch, which was made up of a simple sandwich, a cup of warm tea and an apple. By the time I went on and finished, the nurse had finished up with my Pokemon, having kindly fed them out back for me, as well. I profusely thanked her before she left to tend to the other trainers' Pokemon.

After getting outside once more, I became curious as to what the levels of my Pokemon were, having gone without checking for quite some time, now. I was surprised when I found out that Vulpix was on level 16, while the other two were on level 15. Vulpix currently knew Heat Wave, Hypnosis, Ember and Quick Attack. Ralts knew Growl, Confusion, Double Team and Will-o-Wisp and finally, Dustox knew Tackle, Confusion, Poison Sting and Gust.

Happy with this, I left the center with Vulpix by my side and started down the main road. I was actually thrilled to finally be able to go on my boat ride, having anticipated it the second Mr. Briney had mentioned it. It was silly for me to be so very excited, but just the small ferry ride I'd been on once in Goldenrod was amazing for me.

Just as I was about to leave the town, however, a familiar voice cried out from the distance, stopping me in my tracks. "Hey Alice! Wait up!" I turned around curiously to see none other than Brendan, running from the local mart with a few Pokeballs and Potions I assumed he'd only just bought. I smiled, laughing to myself at the boy's energy and enthusiasm.

He finally made it to me, seeming the least bit tired; a goofy grin evident. "Hey, Alice? Where are you headed off to?" He asked, putting his newly purchased items into his bag.

I returned his smile, though mine not nearly as wide as his. "Well, you see. I'm headed off to go to Mr. Briney's cottage, myself. I'm going to go to Dewford." I explained. Vulpix chimed in with me, seeming to be in an exceptionally good mood.

He gave me an ecstatic look. "So, you've actually beaten the first leader?" He shouted, catching the attention of a few trainers walking my, who quickly went on their way. I cringed only slightly at his volume. "I mean, I knew you could do it, but in such a short amount of time? That's amazing!" He complimented, drawing the smallest blush out from my cheeks.

I grinned a little, pointing to the badge, which I'd pinned to the strap of my shoulder bag as proof. "Yes, and with any luck, I'll be getting my second one soon." I spoke, letting my voice show happiness. Why not? I didn't save the world or anything, but I had rights to be proud, didn't I?

"Well, then." He spoke, taking out a Pokeball. "I'm really curious to see what kind of power tit takes to beat a leader." He spoke, it being obvious as to what he was implying. "Why don't the two of us have a little battle so I can find out?" He asked.

I sighed and shook my head, very aware of the fact that he'd probably refuse a no for an answer. It wasn't like I didn't want to, though. "Okay, sure. I don't have to get anywhere for now." I spoke, taking out Dustox's ball.

At once, the two of us threw our Pokeballs into the air, revealing my Dustox, which flew around the field gracefully, and his Slugma which sat in a readied position, eying my Dustox carefully.

"Oh? Where'd you get the Slugma? I haven't seen any volcanic areas around here." I asked. My friend, Melissa back in Goldrenrod had gotten one on a trip with her family when they'd gone to Cinnabar Island; before it had erupted, that is. It had since evolved into a Magcargo, being one of her strongest Pokemon. I always poked fun at her liking it so much; it having bug like qualities, while she absolutely detested Bug-Type Pokemon. The latter usually resulted in a playful punch to my arm, which the both of us would laugh off. I'd have to call her later, actually.

"My dad got it a while back when he was researching around Mt. Chimney." He explained. "While he was there, this guy attacked him, and he ended up catching it." He went on, reminding me of the Poochyena that had been snapping at his heels a little while ago.

He started off. "Alright, use Ember!" He ordered, pointing at my Dustox. At once, it opened up it's mouth and began to shoot fireballs at my Dustox.

I clenched my teeth. "Alright, now! Send them off with a Gust, then use Poison Sting!" I commanded.

Following orders, the Poison Moth Pokemon began to vigorously flap it's wings. By doing so, it sent a torrent of wind at the incoming attacks, putting them out before they could even hit Dustox. That being done, it went onto step two, sending towards the Fire type a torrent of poisonous needles which hit head on, dealing a decent amount of damage.

Brendan cringed. "Alright, surround yourself with Smokescreen, then blast it with Ember from in there!" He called. The Slugma did just that, spewing a thick, black haze around itself. From there, I waited a moment for the Ember, realizing his strategy. I couldn't see where any of the attacks he was going to be throwing at me were going to come from.

At once, some fireballs came towards Dustox, hitting it a few times, causing it to fumble, and nearly fall to the ground. It picked itself up however, just in time for me to shout for it to use Gust to clear the haze.

It started another Gust, beginning to move the haze, but some more of the Slugma's Ember attack emerged, nearly hitting Dustox. That's when it clicked.

"Alright, now! If we can't blow it away, we'll just use Confusion to move it!" I shouted. Dustox nodded, it's eyes glowing a bit as the fog did the same, forced into the nearby forest. From there, I ordered my second attack, calling out "Now go! Blast it with the water from the lake!" I pointed to a nearby lake I had crossed earlier to get to the large city.

Dustox stood still for a few moments, drawing water from the lake which it then lifted into the air, huffing it's own voice; strained by the weight of the load. It then shouted it's name loudly, letting the water drop onto the Fire type with a loud crash.

As the water rolled from the area it was dropped on, back down the hill and into the lake, it was revealed that the enemy Slugma had fainted, with no signs of getting up. Brendan returned it, then turned to me.

"Well now! I'm impressed!" He complimented. "But, it's going to take a lot more to defeat my Lotad!" He shouted, throwing a ball into the air which revealed to me a Pokemon with a blue body with a yellow bill-like mouth and six small blue legs. It appeared to have a lily pad on its back. I'd seen a few before while traveling with Steven and assumed them to be grass types.

"Alright, let's use Poison Sting again!" I commanded.

Brendan smiled coyly. "Use Bullet Seed to counter!" He shouted.

The result was actually sort of pretty, the two incoming attack meeting in the middle of out two Pokemon and forming sparks in midair. However, it seemed as though Brendan wasn't as drawn into the display as I was, calling out the next move first.

"Use Nature Power!" He shot, pointing at Dustox. The little Lotad, in response began to shake it's body as though it were cold, letting out what appeared to be a... Stun Spore!

My eyes widened. "Quick, use Gust, immediately!" I bellowed. Dustox, sensing the urgency in my voice flapped it's wings even faster than usual, forming a strong current of wind which went on to redirect the powder at the Grass type. I stood there a moment before smiling, not having even thought of effecting the enemy with it's own attack when I had asked Dustox to blow away the attack.

Knowing that the small thing was paralyzed, I initiated the next attack, calling out for Dustox to unleash out a flurry of Poison Sting. It did so, with precise aim, taking the small thing out.

Brendan brought back his Lotad, seeming frustrated, but kept up a happy air. "You've gotten a lot better... But you're luck ends here. Now Marshtop, finish this!" He yelled, sending his final Pokemon out onto the field. It looked like that little Mudkip had evolved since I last saw it.

Before I could even call out an attack, though, Brendan shouted for his Marshtop to use "Mud Shot."

In only a couple moments, the amphibious Pokemon shot a blast of mud from it's mouth which it Dustox head on, sending it to the ground. It tried to get up for a moment, but eventually fell back down, out cold. I brought it back to it's ball, congratulating it on a job well done.

From there, I calculated my options. Vulpix, who stood vigilantly by my side seemed eager to go at the newly evolved Pokemon, but I decided against it, as it was now a Ground/Water mix – something Vulpix would definitely have a hard time dealing with. That decided, I sent out Ralts, who appeared with a happy cry. In spite of it's reliability, however, I knew that battle might get a little tricky.

"Use Mud Shot again!" Commanded Brendan.

"Quick! Use Double Team!" I countered. Ralts obeyed effortlessly, near instantaneously forming a ring of duplicates around the Marshtop. The one having been aimed for faded out once the attack passed through it, being an obvious copy. "Okay, now! Use Will-o-Wisp!" I added. Ralts did this, too, each clone copying it's movements and forming a ghastly ball of purple flames. At once, all simultaneously went flying at the Marshtop, guaranteeing it a burn that would hinder it for the rest of the battle. It cried out in pain, but shook it off, for now.

"Use Water Gun to take them all down!"

Marshtop began to exhale a stream of thin, precise and powerful water, spinning itself around to make sure all the clones were to be done with. Then, before I could tell my Ralts to dodge, the stream hit it, sending it back a few feet. It cried out as it hit the ground.

It's defenses being fragile, Ralts stood up, stumbling a bit while it did. However, Brendan called out for his Pokemon to repeat it's last move.

This time, however, I was able to react. "Now, use Confusion to redirect!" I shot. Ralts uttered it own name happily as it dodged the attack, catching it before it hit the ground and forcing it to make a u-turn towards it sender. The blast, though initially somewhat weak was powered up by the Confusion and sent the Marshtup hurdling backwards; now obviously having taken some damage.

As a last stand, Brendan shouted. "Once more! Mud Shot!", point at the small Emotion Pokemon.

Marshtop, with a little difficulty shot a blast of mud at my little Ralts for the final time.

I narrowed my eyes, knowing this attack was powerful, and likely hard to take a hold of. Regardless, I decided it was worth a try. "Give it everything you've got! Redirect it!"

Ralts, glowing brightly grunted a bit as it brought it's hands to it'd head and concentrated on the attack coming near it, bringing to slowly to a halt, stopping just before it. That being sone, it flung the shot back at the shooter, throwing it's arms in that direction for more power; knocking itself back in the process. The ball of mud traveled at an amazing speed and slamming into Marshtop, sending it into a nearby lamp post where it fainted from hitting it's head against the strong, iron pole.

Brendan brought his Mud Fish Pokemon back to the ball, closing the distance between the two of us and shook my hand. "Well, I can definitely tell you earned that badge of yours!" He confirmed, getting over his loss surprisingly fast. I admired this – one or two of the trainers I'd beaten having been completely rotten about their loss, while most _clearly_ disappointed.

I smiled, happy to hear this from him. "Thanks Brendan, that means a..."

He cut be off in mid sentence, however. "So, you said you were going to Dewford? How are you getting there?" He asked with an obvious curiosity; something he seemed to be very prone to.

I smiled, remembering my promised trip. "Oh, I helped out a man named Mr. Briney get his Wingull back. He told me that if I ever needed a ride, he'd be willing to take me." I explained.

He smiled. "Ah! Briney!" He exclaimed. I raised a brow in mild confusion.

Brendan, seeing this, went on. "He's a family friend of ours! We always used to go on rides with him." He explained. He then pondered something for a moment. "Hey! I know! Why don't the two of us go together?" He suggested, seeming to like the idea. "I've been meaning to get to Dewford, too. So, why now?" He added.

I shrugged. His energy levels could get to me, but I supposed there was no reason to be hostile with him. After all, he seemed to deal with my bouts of mild moodiness well. "Okay, sure. Let's just heal our Pokemon first." I replied, gesturing for the center further into town.

He shook his head. "Nah – I have a lot of medicine on me right now. I can heal our Pokemon right now." He offered. "Besides, it's probably packed with trainers right now."

I raised a brow. "Are you sure? I mean, the center is right over there, and Revives aren't cheap." I explained, noting their being worth about 1500.

He smiled. "They are when you're dad get's them half off." He boasted, taking out four small containers I knew to be the medicine which we required.

I gave in, sighing as I did so. Trying to get this guy worked about as well as well as trying to give a fire type a bath without them fussing. "Thanks a lot for this." I spoke, happy to have a... _friend_ like him to be so willing to help me out.

Though I acted like I sort of resented him... In truth, he sort of grew on you. I mean, a couple days ago I wasn't all too fond if him, but now... Well, I wasn't really feeling that way anymore.

In truth, I had a feeling the two of us would become good friends, just like our mothers.


	10. Chapter 10

First, let me start off saying... I thought I'd never actually get this far...

Anyways! Time for chapter 10, but before that, I'd like to ask a favor. Could you please review? I'd love it, especially if you critiqued my descriptions, grammar and dialogue. Sometimes, I feel I don't so so well in those parts, and I'd love to have the opinion of others to help sort things out.

This being said, I'd like to as that I get two reviews before I move on? I don't care if you review again, if the message is short, long, a critique or a message encouraging me. Anything's welcome! I'd really appreciate it of you helped me improve as a writer, and make reading the stroppy all the more enjoyable for you!

* * *

I was **not** amused. Not one bit.

The boat slowly rocked back and forth and was kept from drifting by the hefty anchor Mr. Briney had thrown over the railing. He was currently in the lower parts of the boat, fiddling with the boats inner mechanics while Brendan tried to help. They'd assured me they were alright, just the two of them and left me without the slightest thing to do. I had played cards with Ralts for a bit, bit it had keep peering into my mind, so I gave up.

If you haven't caught on, the boat's motor went for a shit.

I sat vertically along a small, cushioned bench at the back of the boat, leaning against the railing, the glow from inside the cabin and the stars now my only lighting. My Pokemon had all found their way about the boat; Dustox at the top of the cabin, Ralts, inside the ship, helping with the repairs and Vulpix, in my lap. It was relaxing though, I had to admit. It helped ease my foul mood.

Just then, Brendan emerged from a small trap door set in front of the boat that lead to where he and Mr. Briney had been fixing the boat. He actually seemed a little relaxed for once, perhaps worn down down there, and though the coarse of the day. He took a seat on a small chair, next to the side of the bench my legs were on.

"So, how are the repairs coming along?" I asked, curious as to how things were going.

He sighed. "The motor's dead. It's going to take him a few more hours." He said, laughing a little bit in what seemed to be a bit of frustration. "But hey, it's not too bad outside. The sky is clear, the night is warm and there's a nice breeze." He spoke, looking up into the sky.

The both of us sat there for what seemed to be quite some time before Brendan's voice came through the blanket of quietude. "So, I heard your mom was a top notch coordinator back in her day." He said. "I was wondering, what about you?" He asked.

I laughed a little. "Well I have to admit, my battling style _is_ a bit like hers, but I haven't even thought about trying out contests." I spoke.

"Oh? I hear they're having a Contest in Dewford just for beginners. Maybe you should have it a shot." He suggested. "I'm actually thinking I might try it out." He went on, trying to encourage me.

I turned tomato red, twiddling my thumbs. "Well, you see..." I trailed on. "I get performance anxiety like you wouldn't believe. I'd die if I had to go in front of all those people..." I spoke. It was true; since I was a kid, I had dealt with it. I suppose tripping over your my skirt in front of the entire school during a play when I was younger didn't help at all, either.

He smiled, though soothingly this time. "Well, we could run to the shop there and get you a disguise." He suggested.

I sat there pondering my options. It wasn't like being in this one contest meant I was stuck participating in them for the rest of my life. Plus... I'd never really know how I liked them until I tried, so...

I nodded warily. "Alright, I'll try it out." I uttered. "But I'm making you pay for half the bloody costume!" I shouted playfully, his energy seeming to have work off onto me.

He gave me a playful, hurt expression. "After _I_ helped you, reviving your Ralts?" He asked.

I kept on smiling. I was going to win out little fight this time around. "What's this? All of a sudden... Oh! I don't want to, anymore!" I said, in an obviously faked tone, bringing my hand to my forehead to add to the 'drama queen' effect.

He gave me a dirty look. "Oh fine! Just don't go taking hours and choosing the most expensive thing there, okay?"

I laughed, having won this round. "Lucky for you, I'm a good bargain hunter." I spoke.

Through the night, we continued to chat, exchanging numbers with each other before eventually falling asleep. The two of us then went on discussing my routine in the contest, settling on my Dustox with a Confusion/Poison Sting combo.

...

I woke up in the morning with a start, my Pokenav ringing. Scrambling, I fiddled with the device until I heard a small beep sound, signaling that I had properly answered the call. Trying this out first the first time while groggy wasn't the best move I'd ever made. It wouldn't be the last either, knowing me.

I waited a moment before calling out. "Hello...?" I asked. "Who's this?"

I heard a hardy chuckle I knew to be my father's on the other end of the line. Without thinking, a smile spread across my face. "Hey Alice. So, I heard you got yourself a Pokenav. I would have called sooner, but I got home pretty late, and I didn't want to wake you up."

I laughed a bit. "Ah, well. You wouldn't have woken me up. I was awake until 2:00 last night." I explained.

"Oh? Why's that?" He asked curiously. It seemed as though his parenting side kicked in, just a little.

"Oh, well. You see – I helped out a sailor the other day get his stolen Wingull back. He was so happy to get them back, he offered to give me a ride in return." I described, unable to keep the happiness of having gotten to go for a trip over the sea out of my voice. "Brendan came along, too. He's supposedly a good family friend of his." I went on.

I then furrowed my brow. "But, the motor broke down half way there. We've been out here, since... But..." I trailed off, noticing that the boat was moving once more; waves splashing along side the edge. "It looks like were on our way, again." I described, the wind throwing my hair around.

"It sounds like your having fun." He commented, sounding genuinely happy for me. "So," He began, changing the subject." I heard that you earned your first badge now, eh?" He asked, letting his trainers side come through.

I chuckled a bit. "Yeah, actually." I confirmed. "It was difficult, but hey. I've only been at this for a little while, now. I can't expect too much." I continued.

"Well then, I'd better pick up our training! I'm not going to let you get by me that easily!" He spoke. I knew he'd keep this promise, too. He couldn't go two days without a training session with his Pokemon.

"Oh? Well, we'll just find out when that day comes, now won't we?" I said, my voice devious.

He laughed a bit at my previous comment. "Well honey. I have to go now. I'll call you later sometime, okay?"

"No problem."

"Okay, bye now." He said.

"Bye, dad." I spoke, pushing a button, ending out call.

I sat there for a moment, again happy to have been talking to someone so supportive of me. It was also nice to hear by Dad have such confidence in me as a trainer, sounding so sure that I'd be at his gym one day.

It was then that Brendan spoke from the chair beside me, having fallen asleep there the night before. I'd offered to give him the bench I'd been laying on, but he'd gone and spoken something along the lines of him being a gentleman, letting the girl have the seat. I'd, of coarse, retorted, saying that a man also always listens to what a lady has to say.

"So, what did you're Dad have to say?" He asked, curiously.

"Oh, nothing much. The call was just him pretty much asking what I'd been up to." I described. That in mind, I'd have to interrogate him and my mother next time either one phoned.

Just then, before the two of us could continue on our conversation, I smiled and pointed to the side. "Look! It's Dewford, right over there!" I exclaimed. Though I thoroughly enjoyed the boat ride, I was really happy to get to the island to which I'd be getting my second badge, meeting Steven again and even perhaps winning a ribbon.

So, in a matter of 10 minutes, the two of us were standing on the sandy shores of Dewford Town. Vulpix was now by my side, trying to get used to the sand underneath it's paws. It was funny, watching it walk around in such a bizarre way, letting out aggravated cried when I laughed at it. Long ago had I learned to get over it's grumpy little outburst, having taken it that it was now comfortable enough around me to act like this. Besides, the two of us took joy in mutually poking fun at one and other. Call it an odd form of bonding, if you will.

I looked Mr. Briney in the eye. "Thank you so much for the ride, Mr. Briney! I really enjoyed it!" I exclaimed.

The friendly man smiled, his Wingull on his shoulder cawing out joyously. "Oh, don't mention it. I'm just sorry the motor kicked out half way." He said, again sounding apologetic. He'd done this about three times since we'd gotten on shore, and I was really beginning to feel sorry for him, putting so much blame on himself for our little detour.

"That was half of the fun, spending the night out there!" I spoke, assuring him again. "So, don't apologize any more, okay? I had a great time.." I said.

He smiled. "Ah, lass. Thanks a bunch." He said. "Now you two, if you need a ride, just stop by my boat again. I'm going to be a little while, myself. I have some things to do." He explained.

Brendan spoke this time. "Ah, sorry Mr. Briney... I'm already getting picked up by a friend from here." He explained. "So, I won't be coming along for part two." He finished, sounding apologetic.

The friendly sailor gave Brendan a jokingly mad look, taking me to his side in a chummy way. I let out a small squeak, surprised by his actions. "Arg, you traitor! After all these fine years of sailing the seas with me, then you go and catch a ride with _a friend_. At least Alice here'll keep an old coot like myself company." He spoke in a mock angry voice.

Letting go of me, Brendan and I were both laughing at his little performance. "Alright, alright. I'll see you later then." I spoke, waving as I began to walk off to the city. "Bye now!" I finished, waving as Brendan traveled beside me.

He, in response waved goodbye to the two of us and went back into the cabin of his boat.

I turned to Brendan. "So, shall we go to the Mart to pick me out a costume?" I asked. "After all, the contest... You said it was today, right?" I asked, recalling the conversation we'd had with each other just before falling asleep.

He looked at his Pokenav for the time. "Yeah, it's at 12:00, so... In a couple hours." He confirmed.

That having been established, we quickly found our way to the small town's mart, which was surprisingly empty. Taking advantage of this, I quickly began to scour the shelves.

I quickly found a tight fitted, red shirt with a pretty golden trim around the sleeves and neck and a pair of tightly fitted black pants to go with it. To go with the outfit, I picked out a pair of tight boots and black corset having faint golden, vertical stripes that went down it. It also featured a tailcoat behind that reached my mid thighs and was designed so that the string to tighten up up could be done up at the front; the area around the holes to pull the string through being golden in color. To top it off, I bought a red sash with small tassels and even a few spots for me to attach Pokeballs.

Then, to hide my identity, I bought a simplistic, black masquerade mask with some feathers to the side of the right eye. The entire costume... had a sort of pirate feel to it, with an elegant twist. I liked it. Perhaps this was one of the reasons for me dressing up as a pirate for thee years straight as a child for Halloween.

I was about to leave when I saw Vulpix, who I almost completely forgot about trying to reach up for a small bag of Pokemon treats, looking adorable in doing so. I laughed it off and decided to spoil the silly little think and picked the bag up, looking down at Vulpix when I did. "Now don't you go thinking this is going to work whenever you do this. You just got lucky this time, is all." I spoke. Regardless, the small mammalian Pokemon cried out, happy to have gotten it's way.

I then walked over to Brendan, who was browsing the shop's inventory. "Alright. I have everything. I think it's going to come to around 4000, so fork over the dough." I spoke deviously.

He reached into his wallet and passed me the promised half of the costume's worth. "Here, here. Take it and go" He spoke in a defeated manner, waving me off. I laughed at his, for once, unenthusiastic behavior and purchased the outfit at the counter. It came to around 4300, but I was happy enough having suckered what I could out of the energetic teen.

Having gotten what I'd come for, I walked over to Brendan. "Alright, let's go. I'm all done." I spoke.

He smiled a bit. "If I was here with mom, I'd have to wait another half hour." He spoke, laughing a bit. "You're the first girl I ever met who doesn't completely binge on shopping sprees." He complimented.

I laughed. "Well, you need to get out and meet some more girls. Not all of us are air headed shopaholics." I retorted, starting out way out from the mart and following Brendan to a small stadium that had been set up in the city for events such as these. Once we got there, he lead me through the crowds of people and Pokemon alike and into a smaller costumes area. Here, I found a changing room and quickly changed, putting my regular clothes into my bag. In addition to this, I decided to try and take my look a little farther and put into my hair a loose ponytail that started at my lower neck.

Satisfied with my appearance, I exited the area, then went on to register with Brendan. When I got there, I was overjoyed to find out that we didn't actually need to fill out our real name, instead, only having to fill out a name to which we wanted the announcer and judges to address us by. Thinking for a moment, I decided on filling my name out simply as 'Red', the nickname my friends back in Johto had given me. That having been done, it was decided by the lady there that I would be contestant number 132.

…

I stood in the waiting room, who's walls were painted yellow, with benches all over; a television mounted high up on the front wall for all of the rooms participants to watch the others performances. I had to admit, they looked pretty cool, but there were only the few that actually made me feel threatened. A lot of them were little tricks like juggling.

While I was there, I'd gone over thoroughly what to do with my Dustox, who'd actually used similar moves before. It seemed pretty confident about the whole thing, which actually helped to ease my mind quite a bit...

Until I heard the host, which I'd learned was named Vivian called out "And now, please give a warm welcome to newcomer, Red!" In her trademark, enthusiastic voice

Hearing this, I brought Dustox back to it's ball and ushered out of the room, Brendan wishing me good luck.

In reaching the stage, I shed the sinking feeling in my guts with the knowledge that nobody here knew this was me. With renewed confidence, I grasped Dustox's ball and throw it high into the air, calling out "Stage on, Dustox!" The ball then burst open, revealing the boisterous Moth Pokemon which fluttered around gracefully, seeming to want to do exceptionally well.

"Alright now! Let's use Poison Sting!" I shouted.

Dustox obeyed, and let out a flurry if poisonous barbs from it's mouth, catching them in midair with Confusion. After a few moments of going about this, it deemed it had enough and straightened all the needles out so that there were three sets of vertically straight needles surrounding it, like a chandelier. Then it concentrated, having the first and third row rotate counter clockwise, and the second, the opposite direction; Dustox being in the center of all of this.

I waited for about half a minute before I called out "Alright! Let's wrap things up!"

Dustox, hearing this, stopped all the needles and had them all simultaneously point inwards. Having accomplished this, it sent them all off at once, where they collided a couple feet above it's head, creating a set of purple sparks resembling firework.

The crowd cheered as the judges spoke up, almost drowning out their voices. Dustox, seeming to enjoy the show landed on my head, shouting it's own name happily.

After the judged finished commenting my performance, which I couldn't make out at all, the scores they gave me out of 10, added together to make a score out of 30 appeared. I held my breath as the screen displayed a solid 25.

I smiled, happy with my performance and exited the stage, to be greeted by an ever ecstatic Brendan. "Alice! That was awesome!" He congratulated, his hands on my shoulders. "I mean, wow! You got one of the highest scores today!" He explained. I ran some of the scores I remembered, thinking of only two others that bested mine, being a 26 and a 28.

I smiled. "With any luck, I'll end up in the battling rounds." I spoke, a small smile evident about me. Dustox, in turn, let out a happy, and confident cry. They seemed almost positive that their show would get them through.

Brendan laughed. "Alice, trust me. You won't need any luck. They pick the top eight, and trust me. You're definitely up there. After all, you're one of the last performers, and only a few have gotten better than you." He explained.

I thanked him for his kind words and went back to the waiting area. So, there I sat in the cramped, muggy room for another 15 minutes, watching about 10 more performances, only one other once coming above me – that one being a blonde girl and her Delcatty.

That when the screen closed in on Vivian, the announcer. "Ladies and gentleman! The moment you've all been waiting for! The top eight contestants!" She boomed, pointing to a board which popped up onto the screen. At once, trainers faces began appearing one by one, ordered from best to lowest scores. I was fourth out of the eight, adding to my excitement. Brendan, himself came in seventh; not bad at all.

I turned to him and smiled. "With any luck, we'll be fighting each other in the finals." I spoke, smiling excitedly.

And so the battles began. Brendan went on to win his first battle, but ended up losing in the semi finals to a tough Delcatty, which would be my opponent in the finals. I'd gotten past both a Treeko and a Graveler to get there.

Vivian then went on to announce out battle, and each of our names. At once, a young girl wearing a green dress, a prim hat and long, blonde hair stood on the stage, opposite to me, looking very confident. I stepped into the other side, somewhat nervous. I'd never, in my life had this much pressure on me. Dustox seemed to sense this, quietly uttering it's name in a bit of a sad tone.

I whispered quietly. "Now, now. Don't mind me. I'm just nervous. Forget about that and have fun out there, kay?" I asked, bringing it onto my arm and smiling at it. It brightened up and cried out happily.

At once, Vivian shouted "Go!"

Dustox flew off of my arm and began to hover in the air. "Alright! Use Poison Sting!" I commanded, pointing at the Prim Pokemon.

Dustox did a flip, sending out a small bunch of poisonous, purple needles at the Delcatty, which it dodged fairly easily by jumping to the side.

The girl laughed haughtily. "There's no way you'll beat me like that! Now Delcatty! Use Tackle!" She ordered, pointing at the my Poison Moth Pokemon which fluttered in the air elegantly.

At first, I wasn't worried, my Dustox being high up in the air, but I let out a small gasp when I saw it jump far higher than I expected, taking Dustox to the ground. Regardless, Dustox got up fairly quickly, chanting it's own name, determined as ever. If anything, the attack had simply pumped it up.

In truth, it seemed my opponent seemed a bit weak. If I was correct, Delcatty evolved when exposed to a Moon Stone, meaning... Strength wasn't truly a matter in it's evolution. Regardless, the girl I was fighting did have a bit of a strategy going for her. She had used her Pokemon's 'Cute Charm' ability to attract other Pokemon to it. She was lucky; all her foe's until me using male Pokemon.

However, her luck ended here; I'd make sure to that. "Okay, then. Use Poison Sting again! This time, though, keep throwing them around at Delcatty!" I ordered, falling back onto the technique I'd used earlier instead of trying to pin the fast feline down.

Dustox did so, firing a multitudinous amount of barbs at the Delcatty, which it dodged easily at first, but they made a u-turn, getting it from the back. This pattern of attack continued for some time, the girl at the opposite side of the arena seeming to have lost her confident facade in the unsung chaos Her expression now read worry and frustration.

"Delcatty, try as best you can to dodge, and try to bring the attack down with Ice Beam!" She yelled, seeming to have little planned after her initial strategy.

The attack did little though, only freezing the needles a little. In spite of their having been blasted with Ice Beam, they continued on assaulting the mammalian Pokemon, the only real effect being a few needles here and there having dropped out from the array; the others covered with a little frost.

The battle was long and drawn out, the girl having her Delcatty use Water Pulse, Ice Beam and Thunderbolt repeatedly to try and stop the onslaught of venomous barbs chasing around her Delcatty, though her attempts were of little use. In the allowed time; five minutes, I had her down to almost no points. I, myself had only lost about a quarter, for her dodging the few times she did.

Dustox flew onto my head as Vivian walked onto the ice and needle covered field, almost slipping up once. "Well, folks! That was an intense battle right there, but it looks like we have a winner!" She shouted, bringing her hand up to gesture the score on the board above the arena. "Now let's all give a round of applause to Red, shall we?" She asked, walking up to me and holding my hand up into the air.

I was, in truth, a little shocked. I knew I had that last battle in the bag... but still, knowing I had won a real life contest... This was hard for me to believe. I mean, here I was... A ribbon and a badge in hand. The feeling was unbelievable – I loved it. I only regretted by fathers over protectiveness and my lack of confidence back in the day from keeping me from going on a journey like this earlier. The placed I could be now...

It was then that the Mr. Contesta, the Judge with the red suit and graying hair walked up to me with a little, blue cushioned case; a blue-white ribbon with a gold, metallic center in the middle. Vivian began to speak once more, the ribbon having been brought out. "Now, here is the Chair of the Pokemon Activities Committee to award Red with the Dewford Ribbon!" She spoke over the intercom.

While the crowd cheered, Mr. Contesta spoke, likely unheard by everyone but me. "That was a marvelous display out there, both in your appeal and in your battle. I hope to see you preforming in the near future." He complemented. My cheeks grew to be a little rosy, as I muttered a quiet thank you that was likely drowned out by the crowd. "Now, it's my honor to present to you the Dewford Ribbon." He finished, holding the case up to me.

I took the ribbon slowly from the box and held it with both hands up to my chest. A great big grin enveloped my face and I spoke "Thank you so much!"

With that, he left and the crowed began to diminish, exiting out the large doors to the side of the tall bleachers. The staff began leaving too and I decided to go back to the waiting room. On the way there, Dustox flew around me, singing it's own name in happiness. It really seemed to take a liking to these contests, the cute little thing. Maybe I'd have to try out a few more.

I let out a small yelp when I turned a corner to be met with the face of a joyous Brendan. "Alice! You won! That's unbelievable!" He congratulated, nearly giving me a heart attack. "On your first try, too! That's awesome!" He went on.

I blushed a little bit, unused to all the attention. "Oh, well... It was all Dustox, really. I just stood back and barked orders." I spoke. It was true, though, wasn't it? I mean, it wasn't like I was out there punching the Prim Pokemon to a pulp.

"Don't say that! You _and_ Dustox know that this couldn't have happened without you." He scorned, looking up at Dustox. "Am I right?" He asked.

Dustox, turning on me flow before me, merrily crying it's own name in agreement. I smiled and gave in, seeing this as an argument I would never win. "Okay you two. So I played a part. But without Dustox, I couldn't have done this." I spoke, catching the moth Pokemon and hugging it. "thanks a bunch. You did great." I congratulated.

With a new ribbon in hand, Brendan and I went on down the silent halls of the stadium, dreams of the future running though our silly little heads.


	11. Chapter 11

Gah! Thanks a bunch! I got my two reviews! Thanks everyone! Reading them and knowing people care really makes my day.

Psh. I should so cheesy saying that.

So, anyways. I was thinking that maybe two reviews per chapter are a little much to ask from you guys. So, I'd like to ask that before I publish the next chapter after this, I get just **one**. I don't mind who it's from, how long it is or what it really says, so long as it's a review. Jest send 'em in!

Well... I'm done being an evil little review hound (for now). Enjoy!

* * *

After leaving the contest hall, Brendan and I stopped by a local parlor and had lunch while our Pokemon were being taken care of for lunch. I had a Caesar salad with a chocolate milkshake, Wile Brendan had a burger, fries and a strawberry milkshake. As we'd eaten, he went on to tell me he'd be getting a ride from a friend by the name of Davis with their Wailord. I nearly choked on my salad when I went into my Pokedex and learned how huge they were. Brendan found my reaction priceless, nearly falling on the floor from laughing so hard.

After having done that, we got out Pokemon back from the Center and parted ways. From there, I decided to find Steven...

When I learned that I hadn't the slightest idea as to where he'd be. I looked around the town for about an hour, trying to scout out a crowd like I'd seen on Oldale, but had no luck. I'd eventually give up and call his father, who laughed at my little predicament, telling me he'd probably be in a cave, north to the town on Route 116. Apparently he took after his father and enjoyed collecting rare stones and the like.

So, that's how I ended up in this damp, dark and musty have, a flashlight in hand as I ventured deeper into the abyss. I'd been wandering down here for half an hour now, so my eyes had adjusted, making it a little easier to see. In addition to this, Ralts had conveniently learned Teleport in a battle it had with a Zubat; meaning I didn't have to worry about getting hopelessly lost and dying a horrible death.

Yes – I was indeed an optimist in worrisome situations. You would have had a hoot watching me go nuts, thinking I was going to die when I went through getting my tonsils out a couple years back.

Now, I had Vulpix walked beside be, letting out streams of fire to help brighten the cave up on occasion. Though... In truth, they weren't much a help at all – the flash light being able to illuminate much more and much further than it's Ember. In spite of this, I had it keep on going, as it seemed to enjoy lighting up areas with it's fire and seeing what it had previously been unable to. It sounded silly, yes, but it was unbelievably cute.

Having come to an intersection of sorts, I turned left and began walking through a small, wide tunnel with a low ceiling, with what appeared to be semi-precious stones on the wall. To the far sides of the cave, there was a series of stalagmites and stalactites. There were That's when I heard a serious of sounds from behind me, sounding like claws scraping across the hard, cave floor.

With slight worry, I quickly turned around and saw nothing but the path I'd previously walked on; the only difference being a couple pebbles having scattered from their original positions. I made sure to analyze the area carefully, making sure I didn't miss anything, but found that the being that had made the noise was no longer there. Regardless of an unsettled feeling deep in my gut, I decided whatever it was, it had probably rushed off.

That's when I heard Vulpix making a commotion from behind me, almost as though it were yelling in irritation. Convinced that they had gone and found the culprit, I turned around to be met my a dark, humanoid figure hanging from the ceiling; only inches away from me. It had pointed ears with gleaming, white teeth, showed to by through a large, toothy grin.

I let out a cry in surprise, falling into my butt. The creature, in response, jumped down into the floor and pointed at me, letting out a loud sniggering, snorting on occasion. Vulpix, seeming _afraid_ of the thing, backed up a couple feet. I shot it a dirty glare for a moment, knowing very well that if this thing had intended any real damage, it would have gotten me because Vulpix had chickened out.

I sat there for a moment, looking back over to the small thing. It couldn't have been over half a meter tall, making it about the size of a toddler. It had a dark purple body; it's most distinguishing features being it's gemstone-like eyes. It also had gemstones on it's chest, and as mentioned earlier, razor sharp teeth.

I should have been scared out of my mind, running like I never had before. But... Being friends with Karen of the Elite Four back in Johto meant I had been exposed to numerous Dark-Type Pokemon, and a wealth of knowledge on them. That being true, I realized after some time that this was a Pokemon called Sableye. A Ghost/Dark type mix. I felt a little sorry for the thing in truth, as they were supposedly actually very friendly creatures, only playing tricks on people passing by for attention.

As it laughed, I couldn't help but crack a smile of my own, even letting out a couple little sniggers myself. It wasn't like it was attacking me, so I felt at ease letting my guard down around the misunderstood Pokemon.

I got up a few minutes later, wiping the bottom of my overcoat. "Okay, okay, you silly little thing. You got me." I admitted, smiling at it, while Vulpix; who had distanced itself a bit from me and my pursuer, eying both of us with an incredulous expression.

Waving goodbye to the mischievous spirit, I began to walk on once more with Vulpix.

However, I soon heard a familiar scampering sound towards me, followed by the feeling of a small body having wrapped around my legs as I walked. I stopped after walking for a bit and looked down at the amusing little critter, who'd latched onto my limb while looking up at me with it's large, crystalline eyes. "Is there something you want?" I asked, finding the strange little cretin to be cute; acting out in such a childish way.

It nodded quickly, the smile forming on it's face that it had worn earlier as it pointed to Vulpix's ball with one hand, still grasping onto my leg with the other.

It took me a while to figure out what it wanted, but I sighed, feeling that I was going to have a hard time catching Pokemon for this one day. Regardless, I really did like the Pokemon, and it sounded like it would be a great help in battling a fighting gym leader; something Brendan had let me in on earlier. "You want to tag along with me now, do you?" I asked.

The Darkness Pokemon smiled up at me and nodded as it exclaimed it's own name loudly in happiness. I shook my head, glad to have caught my Pokemon so easily, but feeling like I had somehow accomplished less than other trainers, having had all my Pokemon except for Dustox decide they wanted to go with me. Was there something about me, perhaps, that made Pokemon want to team up with me so much? Or was it just an odd string of rare occurrences?

Deciding to drop the thought and just accept things how they were, I took out a small Pokeball from the bag hanging over my shoulder and tapped it against the small Dark/Ghost type's head. It wriggled around in my hand a few times before it finally came to a halt.

Having done this, an idea came to mind. First, I brought Vulpix back to it's ball, starting to feel sorry for it, seeming so frightened of Sableye. Then, clutching the ball tightly, I tossed it up into the air gently, letting it out. It smiled up at me and waiting for me to say something.

"Okay, time for your first assignment." I began, in a joking, pseudo-militant form. The Darkness Pokemon, having heard this straightened itself up to play along with the routine. "Have you seen a silver haired boy wearing a black suit with a zigzag pattern down here today?" I asked keeping my voice firm, but unable to keep a smile from contorting my lips.

The Sableye shouted it's own name, pointing further down the hall I had been traveling before running into it. It began to skip down the way gleefully, looking back at be on occasion to make sure that I wasn't too far behind it. I couldn't help but think the thing was utterly adorable.

I grinned at my own oddness. What type of girl was I, preferring Dustox over Beautifly and thinking that a dark type that had been speculated until recently to devour souls as adorable? I laughed at myself a bit, continuing to walk down the path. Maybe I should concentrate on the positive, instead. Sure, this made me different, but it seemed as though that was why my friends and family loved me.

That's when I began to see a faint light coming from the right side in a fork in the path. I smiled as I continued walking down the path and went around the corner, finding Steven in a small, man made room filled with shattered rock, a few evolutionary stones scattered across the floor. Among them were a few Leaf Stones, a Water Stone and three Moon Stones. Quite the find, if I do say so myself.

I took a few steps in, still unnoticed. Deciding to let Sableye's behavior influence my own for a moment, I decided to startle him while I had the chance. "Well, it looks like that call you _Stone_ for a reason now, don't they?" I asked demurely, crossing my arms as I leaned against a wall.

The man jumped at hearing my voice before turning around, some dust apparent on his face, nearly hiding his surprised expression. "Alice, is that you?" He asked, his eyes wide.

I smiled at his reaction. "The one and only." I spoke in confirmation.

He chuckled a bit and stood up. "Well then, what brings you to Granite Cave?" He asked, wiping some of the grime off his face. Personally, I was surprised as to how he went and excavated those stones, getting his face and hands dirty while his suit looked like he'd only just washed it. With me; I was lucky to exit a spaghetti dinner without wearing more than I'd eaten. I's ruined countless white shirts to prove it.

"Oh, nothing, really..." I began, digging through my bag for the note, bringing it out in pristine condition. I was surprised, having assumed it would be a crumpled ball of garbage by now. "I was just off running a couple errands for Devon. They want me to go and run those goods to the Shipyard in Slateport and of coarse, deliver this to you." I spoke, handing him the letter.

He nodded before opening it up and read for a few moments, closing the note and putting it in his pocket thereafter. I was curious as to what it read, but decided quickly that it was really non of my business. He'd tell me if he wanted to, and I'd just have to settle for that.

"So, it looks we're both going to Slateport. Why don't we go together?" He suggested.

I smiled, near ecstatic to travel with him again. I nodded. "Sure! The company would be great." I agreed. "As long as you don't mind going by boat, that is. A sailor, Mr. Briney's going to be giving me a ride there and he'd be pretty upset if I went and canceled." I explained, recalling his over dramatic display when Brendan had told him he'd be traveling by different means. It seemed as though the man was just a bit lonely, was all. I suppose I couldn't blame him.

He smiled. "That's actually how I got here when I was collecting badges, myself." He explained. He smiled, possibly out of nostalgia. "So sure. I'm up for sailing with him." He agreed.

That's when I noticed him turn his gaze nervously over to Sableye, who'd remained temporarily forgotten in the corner while eying the stones he'd gathered while drooling slightly. I realized it's thoughts and quickly brought out it's ball and called it back, not wanting to be responsible for having to replace one. Of coarse, I knew Steven wasn't the type to go and ask someone to do so... But I'd feel horrendously guilty of such a thing had happened.

He looked at me with a brow raised, seeming a but surprised by my most recent catch. "So, you have a Sableye now? What's next? A Gyarados?" He asked, laughing a bit at my odd Pokemon choices.

I pouted, shooting him a glare. "**Well**. I was considering one, actually." I spoke. "I mean, I'm sure they'd be pretty nice, too, if they're trained right..." I spoke, trailing off.

Steven laughed at the comment, beginning to pick up the stones and put them into his bag. I stood, still leaning on a wall while he did so. "Well, I guess you're right there. A friend of mine named Wallace has one, and it's actually pretty gentle." He said. "The only time that thing ever gets mad is when it thinks Wallace is being threatened." He went on, finished collecting the last of the last of the stones and storing them in a bag he had with him.

"So, why don't we get going, now?" He asked, walking to the entrance and looking back at me.

I smiled deviously and sent out Ralts who emerged with a cry, bringing it's hand up to it's forehead as a sort of salute, perhaps having been aware of the entire Sableye ordeal. "We're not going because Ralts here just learned Teleport, that's why." I spoke, in a friendly, but coy manner.

Steven smiled. "So, they're already on level 17?" He asked, receiving a pleasant nod from me. "Well then, you shouldn't have much trouble beating Brawly, having two Pokemon that know Confusion, and a Sableye that isn't even affected by their moves." He spoke.

I smiled, as we were brought to the beginning of the cave in a split moment, both of us squinting once we had were there, having spent a fair bit of time in it's pitch black darkness. Once this was done, I called back Ralts, thanking it. Continuing or conversation I replied "I suppose... But he's leader for a reason. If I'm right, he has a plan or two up his sleeve to try and put away my Pokemon." I spoke. "I mean, you wouldn't be a very effective leader if someone brought in a Pokemon you were weak against and toppled you without so much as blinking, would you?" I asked, though not truly expecting an argument.

Steven laughed as the two of us began walking back to town. "I guess I shouldn't expect any less from you, being Norman's kid." He spoke.

I smiled somewhat confidently and turned to him. "Speaking of leaders... I think I'll scamper along and challenge them right now. All My Pokemon are at full heath, anyways." I spoke, recalling that none of them had endured any hits while in the cave. Most of the Pokemon I'd beaten in the cave had been on lower levels, so a majority of the hits were one hit knockouts. Most other attacks were clumsy or slow, making them easy to dodge.

"Well then, why don't I tag along and watch?" He asked, seeming genuinely interested.

I looked at him, raising my brow this time. "Are you sure? I mean, a battle as petty as this... It must seem so _boring_ to you." I exclaimed. After battling on his level, I wasn't too sure I could find much joy in watching small battles, myself.

He shook his head. "Remember, a while back? I'm not some elitist snob. I don't think I'm any better than other trainers." He spoke.

I smiled at his kind words. "Well then. Let me just check one thing." I asked, stopping to take out my Pokedex. From there, I called Sableye out once more, pointing the dex at it.

"Oh? What are you doing there?" I asked, looking over to the small machine.

"Well, there's an application on here that allows me to check my Pokemon's moves. I might want to have a good idea of those before I challenge a leader." I spoke, sarcasm evident in my voice.

At once, the screen displayed four moves to me. They read Fury Swipes, Foresight, Night Shade and Recover. I smiled at seeing the last move, remembering in Karen's passionate, detailed lectures that it wasn't able to learn this move by leveling up. That being said, I assumed it to be an egg move like Ralts and Vulpix knew.

"Well, I'd like to see Brawly _try_ to beat this." Spoke Steven, still looking at the small dex. "I mean, even if he does use something like Foresight... Well, you have Recover. I think you've got this one in the hole." He finished. I smiled, happy to hear him speak with such confidence in me, but truly wondering if he was being truthful, or simply trying to make myself feel good about myself in terms of a trainer.

…

We both now stood in front of the doors, and I was still nervous, in spite of my obvious advantage and Steven's apparent confidence in me. Regardless, I swallowed those feelings and pushed to doors open finding a man, maybe Steven's age who was training with what I knew to be a Machop. He had shoulder length, unruly, blue hair, wore a tight black, long sleeved shirt with another regular fitting orange one on top and a pair of blue track pants. I should have expected no less from a fighting type trainer.

He looked up at the two of us, smiling one he did. "Hey, Steven!" He greeted, seeming like an outgoing man. "What brings you to Dewford?" He asked, finally noticing me.

"Just off in Granite Cave looking for a few stones myself." He explained. "But, my friend here wants to challenge you to a battle." He added.

"Ah! A challenger!" He spoke. "Well, I'm Brawly, leader of the Dewford Gym!" He greeted, holding his hand out to shake mine. I reluctantly obliged, finding his hands to be rough with a firm grip, likely from training so much. I was betting that he wasn't too weak physically either, if that was the case.

I smiled a bit. "I'm Alice." I spoke, having nothing else to truly say.

"Now, let's see what you're made of!" He challenged, jogging to his side of the gym. "How does three on three, no subs for the leader sound?" He asked, his Machop getting in front of him and into a fighting stance.

I smiled. "Sounds like a plan to me." I agreed.

Steven then walked to the referee's area. "Alright, then. Let the battle begin!" He shouted.

At once, I threw out a Pokeball into the air, which revealed Dustox.

"Alright, use Gust!" I shouted, pointing at the readied Fighting type. Dustox didn't waste a second getting down to business and flapped it's wings quickly, sending a powerful blast of wind it's way, blowing it into a wall, though doing little damage.

"Snap out of it and get in there with a Karate Chop!" Yelled Brawly. The small Machop said it's own name as it ran towards my Dustox, and jumped high up into the air to strike it down. I had different plans than to let this get me after that Delcatty had hit me the same way in the previous contest, though.

"Quick! Slam it to the ground with Confusion before it can get you!" I ordered, hoping it would react quickly enough. To my relief, and Brawly's dismay, the attack succeeded. Dustox's eyes glowed a faint red color, quickly enveloping Machop. Having accomplished that, Dustox grunted it name as it flung the Superpower Pokemon down to the ground.

I smiled as Steven shouted, declaring my win. "Machop is unable to battle! Dustox wins this round!"

Brawly recalled the gray Pokemon to it's ball, eying me carefully. "You really came prepared now, didn't you?" He asked.

I smiled. "Well, I can't come waltzing in here and expect you to hand the badge to me after having a picnic, now can I? I asked. "You're a leader. I have to be prepared for a top class battle, that being established..." I trailed off, ready for his next Pokemon.

Brawly grinned. "Alright then. Go Meditite!" He called, sending out a Pokemon that resembled a person meditating, sitting with knees bent and feet together with its hands resting on its knees. Its lower body was blue, with white on the wrists, feet, and what seems to be pants, or possibly a diaper. Its head is also white, with an onion-like shape and large ears. Its eyes were large and seem to be focused.

"Alright, use Gust once more!" I called out. Repeating the attack it had made moments earlier, Dustox began to vigorously flap it's wings, sending a jettison of high speed winds at Meditate Pokemon.

"Send them back with Confusion and pin it to the wall!" Shouted Brawly. I widened my eyes in shock and went to call out a counter attack, but the Meditite seemed to be well versed in using the move, having the attack blast back at Dustox and into a wall where it was pinned.

"Now, finish it with Fire Punch!" He shouted, throwing his fist into the air, obviously getting into the battle. At once, the Meditite focused; it's fist catching fire. That having been done, it took the fist and flew at Dustox, delivering a critical blow.

The damage having been done, Dustox blacked out. I solemnly called it back to it's ball, congratulating it on a job well done. It had been excellent to me for the past few days, and I decided thereon to give some time to rest.

"Well then..." I spoke, quickly running through my head a list of options. I quickly decided on Sableye for both it's immunity to Meditite's Confusion and any fighting moves it might go and throw my way. "You're up, Sableye!" I declared, throwing the ball into the field, revealing Sableye who madly grinned.

Brawly's expression turned to a grave, serious one. "I see you were busy when you were going though the cave, huh?" He asked, needing no real answer.

I grinned at his comment much like the darkness Pokemon before me, though went on without answering, as his question was rhetorical. "Use Fury Swipes!" I commanded, pointing at the small, blue-white Pokemon.

In a heartbeat Sableye was at the small fighting type, the same claws that had scraped against the hard floors of the cave now raking across the Meditate Pokemon. It cried out and crossed it's arms in front of it's head, trying as best it could to keep the attacks away from it. In spite of it's efforts, it was doing very little.

"Quick! Fire Punch!" Ordered Brawly.

The small Pokemon looked up at Sableye, a new determination in it's eyes. Then it drew it's fist back, throwing it into Sableye's gut. The force of the impact sent Sableye a few feet back where it landed on it's back. However, it hopped back up immediately afterward and continued on with their cheery demeanor. This thing... I was convinced it would be smiling to it's grave.

"Alright, use Night Shade then!" I commanded.

Sableye cried out it's own name as it shot a black, lightning-like beam from it's crystalline eyes, nailing the small Pokemon in the head. It cried out as it went hurdling back a couple of feet, making a thud as it hit the ground. It tried to lift it's head in an effort to begin to get up, but failed, falling back to the ground and unable to move.

Steven spoke once more. "Meditite us unable to battle! The victory goes to Alice.

Now I could see Brawly was tense. "Okay, try this on for size! Go, Makuhita!"

He took out a Pokeball and threw it onto the field, revealing a medium-sized yellow Pokemon with a black chest area and hands that resemble black gloves. It also have red circles on it's cheeks and slit-like eyes. It has a knot on its head, making it resemble a punching bag. Fitting, for an expert in Fighting types.

"Alright, use Ice Punch!" He shouted, pointing at Sableye, who stool in the center of the field.

The Makuhita ran at Sableye with surprising speed, taking it's fist back and slamming it into Sableye with some ice crystals apparent on it's fist. Sableye, being as light as it was, went flying back and rolled a few times before getting up, though with some apparent difficulty.

"Use Recover." I uttered, a mischievous smile having slithered it's way across my face.

Sableye jeered out happily and began to glow a light orange color, which faded in a moment to reveal all previous wounds having been eradicated. This having been done, I moved on. "Now, let's use Night Shade again, shall we?" I asked, the same smile not once leaving my lips.

Sableye complied, letting another blast of the black, lighting-like substance come from it's eyes and hit the Makuhita, though with less effect than before. I deduced that this thing had a much more stamina than the previous Pokemon, and decided that I'd switch out to speed things up a little bit.

"Alright, you did a great gob. Take a rest, now." I spoke reassuringly, calling Sableye back to it's ball.

Brawly shot me a questioning look. "You seemed to have the advantage. Why'd you switch out?" He asked, seeming honestly curious as to why the change in heart.

I sighed. "Well yes... Maybe I'd wear your Makuhita down over time... But it would take a while. It's stamina is much greater than any of your other Pokemon, and in truth... That Night Shade didn't even do much..." I spoke, noting that the little Guts Pokemon seemed perfectly fine. "That, and I have a tenancy towards impatience." I added.

That having been said, I took out a small ball and threw it onto the field. 'Alright Vulpix! Time to shine!" I cried. At once, the ball let out a stream of white light which went on to form the oddly colored, yellow mammalian Pokemon. It let out a relaxed cry as it sat on the field, awaiting an order.

"Alright! Use Ember!" I shot.

Vulpix stood up and opened it's moth, letting loose a flurry of small fireballs that went on to pelt the small fighting type, who sat and endured the attack. The Pokemon really did live up to it's species name, the Guts Pokemon.

"Use Arm Thrust!"

The order having been given out, the bulbous Pokemon began charging at Vulpix once more, it's speed again surprising for it's stature. Just before it could get to my Vulpix, however, I decided on my plan.

"Use Quick Attack to get out of there and use Heat Wave when you've put some distance between the two of you!" I ordered.

Vulpix waited just seconds before the small Pokemon could get to it, racing away at a high velocity when it deemed the Guts Pokemon too close. Then, after getting some distance between it and it's foe, it breathed in, exhaling a mighty breath of scorching hot winds and fierce flames which quickly enveloped the section of the field to which Makuhita stood.

I smiled, sure to have won when I heard Brawly's voice through the roar of the flames. I couldn't hear what he'd exactly say though, only picking up "Vital Throw" from the order.

I was going to tell Vulpix to be on the lookout when, through the flames Makuhita emerged and took a hold of Vulpix's tail, tossing the Fox Pokemon into the air. I watched helplessly as Makuhita jumped up after it, delivering a staggering blow to Vulpix's stomach, sending it to the ground with a thud. Makuhita landed in front of Brawly, smiling confidently in spite of what seemed to be some serious injuries.

"Vulpix! Are you okay!" I shouted, hoping it would hear me through the flames.

A few moments passed by without any response. Just as I was about to give up hopes of it still being conscious, a sign emerged from within the fires.

Though I couldn't see Vulpix, I understood that it had heard me as the flames engulfing it grew in size to be larger and more intense; the heat radiating through the gym. Then from within the bed of fire an enormous Heat Wave went careening towards the opponents, blasting the Makuhita clear into the wall, narrowly missing the leader who'd bolted to the side to avoid getting scorched.

As Makuhita, who'd been thrown into the wall by the force of the attack fell down, Vulpix came from the fire, shooting angry looks at the Fighting type, clearly enraged to have had it's tails touched. It let out an angry grunt as it slowly made it's way to me, the serious expression never once leaving it's face. I was somewhat speechless as to what to say, never having seen the small Pokemon display any such anger to this level.

From that point, I decided to never, _ever_ grab one of it's tails.

Just then, I heard Steven's voice over the fire. "Makuhita in unable to battle. The challenger Alice is the victor!" He exclaimed.

I looked to my side, having almost forgotten about his presence. In seeming his, I saw he was smiling at me, almost seeming proud of me in my win. I smiled back happily, proud to have won my second badge, and in front of the Champion, no less.

Deciding that nearly roasting the poor man was enough to ask of them, I decided to cross the gym in stead of the opposite way around, feeling sort of guilt of the entire thing. I could have very well burnt that man beyond recognition if he hadn't been on the ball... If I were him, chances are I'd be in the back of an ambulance right now on oxygen. You see – I really could be a ditz, sometimes.

It was just then that I made my way to the leader. "I'm sorry about almost frying you there. I suppose I still need to work out some issues with Vulpix, here." I spoke, laughing a bit nervously as I looked down at the Fire type, who shot me a dirty look.

He laughed, taking out a badge out of a pocket and holding it forwards. "Nah – don't worry about it. It wouldn't be the worst thing to ever come my way." He dismissed, waving it off with a smile. "Now here, take the badge. You earned it." He prompted.

I grinned as I picked the badge out of his hand and held it to my chest, sighing in relief.

Just then Steven came forth. "Both of you have improved since I last saw you. Brawly, nice job with the elemental punches!" He complimented. He then went on and turned to me. "And Alice... You're Pokemon... The raw power between them is amazing." He described. I blushed a little and turned my head away a bit, a small smile having curved my lips upwards.

"Well guys... I'd love to talk this out some more, but I need to get cleaning up all these burn marks and ashes." Started Brawly, motioning the the charred area to which Makuhita had landed; leaving a small space shaped like out of the area that hadn't been burnt and the pit of coals on the floor.

"Well okay then. Bye!" Began Steven, turning the opposite way and beginning to walk. I simply waved a bit before following after him, proudly clutching my new badge as Vulpix walked close by my legs, seeming as proud as ever.

Well? That do you know. I'd won a contest, gone through a cave, caught a Pokemon and won my second badge. I'd have to say that this day went on pretty well, if I do say so myself.

* * *

;n; I just realized that this was over 5000 words. It's kind of funny, how my chapters have gradually grown from being around 2000 words... to that it is now.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it. :]


	12. Chapter 12

I feel so special, with all of you giving me these reviews and encouraging words! Thank you so much! At the same time, though... I feel slightly pressured to keep writing to such standards. Tell me what you think!

Also, I know this is my fault... but it was three in the morning when I published this. In addition to that, I didn't sleep last night... So I may have missed more errors than usual. I seem to italicize a lot when I'm sleepy. If you find 'em, point them out and I'll get right on that, but for now...

The only think I'll be getting on is my nice, memory foam mattress.

* * *

After the battle, I'd brought my Pokemon to the center to be healed, waiting there with Steven. He'd gone and described quite a few of the gym leaders and their types to me, leaving out the ones I'd beaten, my father and his friend and Wallace; who he didn't feel like revealing, because he'd been friends with them for some time. After having done this, we headed out and he suggested we go and eat, it already about about 5:00PM.

...

I now sat at a small table with Steven on the other end at the table at the same restaurant I had earlier that day with Brendan, though this time we ate inside. Steven hadinsisted he buy me dinner after I'd gone through the cave, looking for him. I told him it wasn't a issue and that his father compensated me well for my efforts, but he wouldn't have it. He was a stubborn thing, him, so I ended up giving in.

I held back a small, sarcastic laugh. It seemed as though I was always giving in to others.

I stirred the spoon to my soup absentmindedly as I glanced at Steven. _He really was something._ Stunning icy blue eyes with fair, immaculate skin and styled, messy silver hair. Down to earth, kind and helpful...

I caught myself staring and tore my eyes away. Thank god he was watching the news on the large television they'd installed by the little bar they had in the restaurant.

After a few moments, he turned to me with an unreadable expression, but I quickly deduced the cause of it. They'd been talking about and Team Magma, and how there had attacked a man by area known as the 'Jagged Pass outside' of Lavaridge Town. It seemed as though Steven really took it upon himself to take care of these crooks. He seemed like the type to run himself down to nothing before giving up, and this worried me. I didn't know him very well, but I'd be heartbroken of we went and got himself hurt...

Seeming to notice the strange look he had about him, he spoke up. "So, it doesn't look like you've eaten much. Is something wrong?" He asked.

I found this to be slightly ironic, him asking me this when it was clearly him with something on his mind. I shook my head. "No, nothing much. It's just..." I trailed off, quickly deciding to try and pry just a bit into the little criminal team dilemma. "Team Magma and Team Aqua... They seem to be getting themselves together." I spoke, improvising.

He sighed. "Yeah, thy have. The police, as well as the league members have been trying their best to stop them, but they seem to be one step ahead of us every time they make a move." He described, seeming a little disheartened.

I rested my chin on my clasped hands, looking him in the eye. "What exactly is it that they mean to accomplish?" I asked. These guys... They sounded much more dynamic than Team Rocket... But then again, Johto only had to deal with the leftovers from the Kanto invasion...

"Well, from what we've heard, one team wants to expand the ocean; the other, the land." He described. "They seem to have some sort of plan going for them, but we have yet to figure out what it is." He explained.

I could see the worry in his expression and decided to change the topic, not wanting to worry any more than he had about the matter while he was on a break. "Well, are you just about done?" I asked, clearing my throat and looking at his empty plate.

He seemed a bit surprised by the change in topic, but seemed to catch my drift and played along. "Oh, um... Yeah, actually. I'm pretty full, myself." He replied. "What about you?" He asked.

I felt bad about leaving about half of my meal there, but knew that I could eat no more without feeling uncomfortably full. This having been decided, I replied "Yeah. So... Should we head off to go see Mr. Briney?" I asked, taking the coat to which I'd taken off inside the restaurant and put it back on. It was funny. I'd only been wearing it for a little while, and I already felt half naked without the silly little thing.

This having been established, the both of us got our things together and exited the building, having had paid for the food when we'd first gotten it.

I smiled as we made it outside. "It looks beautiful here during the night." I spoke, crossing my arms as a sea breeze came off of the waters, blowing my hair and coat around. The island was scattered with small houses that lit up the area with lights from their houses; the moon and stars helping with their beautiful shine. In the far distance was he ocean itself, tossing carelessly about as though it were dancing to some unheard rhythm.

Steven walked up beside me, staring into the night sky as I was. "I thought the exact same thing when I first came here with my Metang a couple years back." He explained. I smiled, running the idea of Steven as a rookie trainer through my head... It really did seem odd, thinking someone as great as him was once at my level.

As we began to walk towards the docking area, I furrowed my brow. "I'm just curious... How old are you, exactly?" I asked, my curiosity having been sparked by his last comment. He couldn't have been anymore than 22...

He chucked at my curiosity. "I'm 19 right now." He spoke. "What about you?" He questioned.

A light, unreadable smile overtook my lips. "Don't you know? A lady never reveals her age." I spoke.

"Well, that's not fair." He complained, sounding much like a grumpy child having been told no. "... But... what if I guess?" He asked, his curiosity seeming to nag at him. I nodded, so be began throwing out numbers.

"19?"

I shook my head, stifling back a giggle. I didn't look that old, did I?

"20?"

"Lower."

"18?" He asked.

I furrowed a brow. "Try again."

He stopped for a moment, seeming a little frustrated. "Maybe 17?" He asked.

I looked at him from the corner of my eyes, seeing him looking down at me with a curious, and somewhat determined expression. I cracked a smile. "Well, that wasn't so hard, now was it?" I asked, a teasing tone evident in my voice.

He looked at me questioningly. "You mean you're only 17?" He asked.

I let out a quiet laughter. "Actually, no. I'm a 75 year old woman with 12 children and 30 grandchildren. This is just a clever mask here, you see?" I spoke, my voice dripping with a friendly sarcasm while I pointing to my face.

He chuckled at my little exclamation. "Fine, fine. Seventeen. It's just, you act older than you are." He described.

"Well, I suppose I'll take that as a compliment." I spoke.

It was just then that we arrived at Mr. Briney's boat. Conveniently, he was on deck moving some crates around, so he quickly saw us. "Ah! Alice! And who'd this...?" He asked, peering at Steven curiously for a moment. Then, as if a light bulb clicked in his head, his expression went to a bright one. "Steven! It's good to see you!" He exclaimed.

Steven laughed a bit. "It's good to see you two, Mr. Briney." He greeted. "Anyways, I hear Alice is getting a ride to Slateport. Do you think you could spare room for one more?" He asked. In truth, I think the both of us knew very well that the kind, old sailor would be more than happy to let Steven ride on his boat.

Briney let out a hardy laugh. "Of coarse, lad! You're always welcome aboard! I thought we'd gotten that through your skull the last time you were here!" He went on. I laughed a bit at this, only knowing Steven for a little while, but feeling it was exactly in his character to be so very wary of accepting gifts and the like from others.

Briney then went on and looked at me. "And you, young lady. I do say... You have an excellent choice in men." He spoke teasingly, getting into the captain's cabin as I proceeded to blush, uttering something in denial. The silly old thing – there was no way that the two of us would ever be together.

I looked up at Steven for a brief moment, happy that he was looking away. I couldn't deny it, though... I did have a little thing for him... But I was convinced that I would move on as quickly as the clouds in the sky strolled by. After all, I had a crush on Will for a while when I was 15. Now, well. The two of us seemed like siblings, the thought of it... Well, it kind of creeped me out now. You should have seen him howling with laughter when Karen slipped up the one time, having had a glass to many at the annual league's Christmas party. I wanted to die.

Feeling the boat start to move, Steven and I both made our way to the back of the boat, him taking the the bench I'd fallen asleep in while traveling with Brendan, while I sat in the same energetic trainer's old seat.

No sooner than I did this, though, my Pokenav began to ring. I sighed, wanting to just talk with Steven, but picked up anyways. I didn't want my mother calling me, and thinking I'd been eaten or something because I didn't answer.

I waited a moment before being blasted by the voice from the other end. "**HI ALICE**!"

I cringed a bit at the volume of the girl's voice. Melissa, the crazy she-thing. "Hey, Melissa." I began, smiling at hearing her voice.

"So, I meant to call you earlier, but I was on a camping trip with my family, so I didn't get the chance..." She began, obviously the same old talkative person I'd left behind at home. "But, that's all over now! I want to hear a bit on you!" She exclaimed, seeming impossibly happy. _What was it with me and making friends with all the ridiculously energetic people?_

"Well," I began. "I've actually gone and started my own little journey to compete in the Hoenn league." I spoke, almost dreading the reaction to come.

"Gah! That's awesome! My little Alice, finally growing some ovaries and starting her own journey!" She cooed. I could almost see the sappy face she was making right now. She just had the best way of wording things...

"Why, you..." I growled, though inwardly laughing. She and I had been this way since we were 6. She was the outgoing one, and I was the withdrawn. She was always going and dragging me into some new mess she'd gone and created herself, which usually ended up with me being on the receiving end of the trouble. Like the one time we were 8 and she's picked a fight with one of the bullies. I'd helped chew them out, of coarse... But I was the only one getting in trouble at the end of the day, while she and the bully ended up getting off scot free.

"Nah, don't get worked up over it, Alice!" She dismissed. "So, how far have you gotten?" She asked.

"Well, I just got my second badge today, believe it or not." I explained, happiness evident in my voice. "It was a fun battle, though I kind of have to admit that I cheated a bit... Using a ghost type against their fighting type..." I trailed off, giggling nervously.

"That's not cheating at all! Ghost type Pokemon are a real challenge to catch! You earned it!" She began, likely looking back at the Misdreavus she had. She's actually gone and gotten hit by one of it's Pain Split's while battling it with her Magcargo, the poor girl.

I actually let a giggle escape my mouth. "Well, my little Sableye here caught me. It held onto my leg until I agreed to catch it, the lonely little critter." I spoke, recalling the event. Thinking about it, it was actually kind of funny.

That's when I heard another voice in the line. "Sableye? You caught a Sableye? Alice!"

I laughed a bit, recognizing this to be the voice of none other than the fourth member of Johto's Elite Four. "Yeah, Karen. I caught I Sableye. I called you crazy way back when for liking them, but now... It's actually sort of cute." I admitted, looking down at it's ball on my belt.

There was a brief pause over the line. "I have a nice Vileplume here... Maybe you'd-"

My voice was monotonous. "No."

I heard her whine over the Pokenav. "But... I've _always_ wanted one! It's no fair that you've caught one when you didn't even really mean to!" She pouted.

I laughed at her behavior. "Karen, you're such a mooch." I stated blatantly. "First, you go and steal all my Honeycombs whenever yo come over. Then you raid me of nail polish, and then, borrow all of my best clothing." I went on, laughing. In truth, there were numerous other items I could go on listing, but a phone call had to end sometime.

Melissa came back in, her voice scolding. "Oh, come on Alice! Should you really be speaking to the _new Johto Champion_ that way?" She asked.

My eyes went wide at her words. "No way... You mean, you actually..." I stammered, smiling in delight.

I could almost hear Karen grinning. "Yup! That Pupitar I've been training all this time finally evolved into a Tyranitar. We floored Lance a couple days later." She described, confidence in her voice. "So, now he's taken my spot as the fourth member of the Elite Four. He's sure to come back challenging us, but we're going to train all the harder to keep him in his place!" She added.

I was about to go on profusely congratulating her on her recent win when I heard a commotion in the background, sounding like the frenzied voices of dozens of people. "Oh, crap! Media! Gotta run!" Spoke Karen in a hushed voice.

"Bye bye for now!" Finished Melissa in a cheery voice, ever so quickly.

I was about to try and get one more word in before I heard a click, signaling the end of the call. I stood there, a little baffled by the two of them.

Just then, Steven spoke up, surprising me. I'd nearly forgot he was there in my call with my friends. "You mean you're friends with Karen of the Elite Four?" He asked, a brow raised in slight surprise.

I smiled in a devious way. "No, I'm friends with the new Johto champion, didn't you hear?" I asked, my voice teasing.

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, fine." He spoke. "So, she uses Dark types, am I right?" He asked.

I nodded my head, giving him a questionable look. "Why are you asking?" I asked.

He shrugged. "No reason, really. But hearing that, I have to commend her – it's no easy feat to defeat Dragon types." He explained. "Trust me, when I first got through Drake, my Pokemon were about ready to drop. I was lucky I had all the medicine on me I did, or the Champion would have fried me alive." He spoke, seeming to look back to those day.

It was kind of neat, hearing a champion talk about their days as a trainer. I mean, it seemed like so many of us; myself included had some sort of belief that they were these ultimate trainers that had been good since the day they started... It was probably _partially_ true; their having a natural knack for Pokemon... But the way some people talked, they portrayed them as being some kind of deity. I knew this to be an over exaggeration now – I was sure of it. Karen, after all, seemed like another ordinary friend to me – not some super elite trainer.

That, and I was pretty damn well sure that a deity would have _at least_ enough consideration to leave me _one_ single bowl of my favorite cereal before they gobbled the rest up.

Steven and I went on talking for what was probably an hour or two after that, about little things like favorite Pokemon; which I learned was Metagross for him. Big, surprise, eh? But... As time would go on, I eventually succumbed to the gentle waves which rocked the boat and let the darkness swallow me.

…

I woke up to a beautiful, pinkish blue sky with a few clouds their coloration altered to that of the rising sun's. The morning was a little cool, but it was refreshing, not cold.

I then widened my eyes as I realized that I was now on the bench Steven had. I had no idea where he was, and assumed he was somewhere underneath the deck of the boat. I'd also come the the realization, after a slight movement on my stomach, that Vulpix had seemingly let itself out of it's ball and parked itself on top of me. Great, another fun little habit on top of the death glares.

At least the yellow Fox Pokemon refrained from laying down on my face this time. Having sensed my movement, they looked up at me groggily, yawning while exclaiming their name sleepily.

I smiled, feeling truly at ease in the boat. I'd have to come and pester Mr. Briney on occasion after this for rides, even after I'd moved on from the island section of Hoenn. This was just too great an experience to let go of.

"Enjoying the morning, eh?"

I yelped in surprise, jumping up to my feet to see Steven standing by the door to the Captain's quarters with a steaming mug. Vulpix fell from my lap and onto the ground, letting out a defeated, though angry grunt in annoyance as it's face collided with the ground.

Both of us stood there for a brief moment, looking down at the small, yellow mammalian Pokemon before both simultaneously bursting out into laughter. It eventually got so bad, I found myself sitting on the floor while leaning against the bench I'd sat on, my eyes tearing up. Steven, on the other hand was leaning on the ships railing.

Vulpix stood there, shooting the both of us dirty looks while crying it's name in protest. It went over to me and butted me in the stomach, but to no avail. Having to success with me, it walked over to Steven where it began shouting it's own name at him as though _demanding_ he stop. However, seeing it's ordering us to stop completely fail, it eventually went and gave up and decided to sleep in the mess I had created with the blanket.

A few minutes passed before Steven and I sobered up, a few snickers and giggles heard on occasion. "Well, that's one way to start a morning." I spoke, getting up from the ship's floor.

Steven chucked, though contained himself in fear of creating another outburst. "You've picked yourself out some interesting Pokemon, there Alice." He chortled.

Mr. Briney then stepped out of his quarters and looked at the both of us, a confused look on his face. "Now what are you two doing, making such a racket?" He asked, clearly amused. "The last time I'd heard this much noise, it was thirty years ago on a sinking ship." He commented.

I waved my hand. "Oh, nothing really. Vulpix just went and fell down." I explained, the Fox Pokemon staring it us with one eye open, while still conveying an irritated look. I had to admit, it had that glare of it'd down to a master level.

Too bad it couldn't actually learn the move.

"Ah, then." He spoke, understanding the cause of the disturbance. "Well, I just thought I'd go and let the two of you know that we'll be hitting land in a few minutes." He explained, pointing beyond the bow of the boat, revealing a beach in front of a large city with a forest beyond it. It seemed like a genuinely nice sea side community, and I looked forwards to going there to deliver the parts.

…

Steven and I went and said out goodbyes to Briney before going off though the busting streets of Slateport City. Before getting here, however, I had battled a number of trainers, having to drop them off at the center to be healed. While walking around to pass the time, however, we ran into an unexpected obstacle.

You see, a group of local girl had spotted him, and the small clique of friends asking for simply autographs quickly transformed into a crowd near the size of a small mob. I actually found it somewhat entertaining, how silly they behaved... Aside from the pushing and shoving... _And_ screaming...

Alright, so maybe I didn't enjoy it.

What I did enjoy, though, was watching poor Steven try to worm his way out of the situation while still keeping a kind and calm exterior. I nearly bust a gut laughing when one girl, no older than me with a curvacious form, long brown hair and blue eyes with an extremely low cut, green shirt had actually went on to ask him to sign her breast. When he politely refused, she gave me the dirtiest looks I could have ever imagined before storming away to a group of friend, who went on to all shoot me the exact same look.

I got over it quickly though – it was bound to happen sooner or later, traveling with a man as famous as Steven. I was actually pretty lucky to have avoided it so far, thinking about it. That, and... I sort of enjoyed them thinking that I was his girlfriend.

What a silly girl I was, developing such a girlish crush on the champion, of all people.

It took about us half an hour to get away from all of Steven's fans, and when we did, we were fortunate enough to find a small seaside restaurant, where we decided we'd have breakfast. This time, I'd paid for my own food in advance instead of allowing Steven to do so for me. I didn't hold anything against him... I just felt bad for him having to feel like he should be curious and pay. To add to this, I didn't like others doting on me, and I wasn't one to let myself grow to be indebted to others, either.

"So, are we going straight to the shipyard after this?" I asked, eating a side delicious of hashbrowns I'd ordered earlier. I wouldn't even be lying if I said that these were the best of any I'd ever eaten.

Steven looked up at me, a warm smile. "Well, I need to go and run a quick errand, actually. How about I meet you in front of the center around..." He trailed off, looking at the Pokenav on his watch. "Okay, it's eight thirty right now..." He spoke, likely trying to conclude how ling he'd be busy. "How about we meet in front of the Pokemon center around ten thirty? He asked.

I shrugged. "Sounds good to me." I agreed. Whatever time I had left, I'd go and waste at a local market.

With that. Steven paid his half of the tab and the two of us exited the building, but not before he reminded me _again_ that _he_ could have paid. "You know, I really could have paid... Money isn't really an issue." He spoke, seeming a little sore of the entire situation. It seemed as though he felt guilty for paying only his half. I couldn't see why, though.

"Yeesh! Where were you when Melissa was setting me up on blind dates in Goldenrod? It seemed like half of those sleazy pieces of work were in it for a cheep meal and a nice little _after dinner snack, if you know what I mean._" I spoke. She had, of coarse done it because she genuinely believed it to be good for me... But a night out getting drunk and waking up beside a man I didn't even know wasn't my idea of good. I'd left numerous dates earlier than planned, a good number of them all having the same ideas coursing though their head.

The, when Melissa would find out about how badly they went...

I had to stop her from going there herself and beating the sucker to a pulp after she heard the results. I disliked the men a lot, yes... But letting Melissa at someone when she's genuinely angry might as well be sending someone to the gallows.

Steven eyed me incredulously. "Are you serious? She seriously did that to you?" He asked.

I waved my arms around in her defense. "Oh, no! She did it for my own good! She wanted to get me out, but..." I trailed off. "The poor girl isn't much of a thinker sometimes. She usually went for the first ad in the paper she could find under the age of twenty." I spoke.

"Well, then." He began, seeming to be at a loss of words for this situation. Quickly, he changed the topic."I'll see you in a couple hours?"

I nodded in confirmation. "Yup. And I promise I _won't_ be late this time!" I exclaimed before turning around and walking south towards the direction of the beach, having seen my destination down a narrow street to the right while walking down the main road.

In the distance though, I could see some clouds approaching the city. Every once in a while, a faint light could be seen flashing though the clouds, in addition to the titanic boom following afterwards, dulled by the heaping distance between the clouds and the settlement. The winds coming from that directing were harsh and cold, as well.

I couldn't tell why, but I had an odd gut feeling that something was amiss.

* * *

Please, enjoy! Again, I'd like to ask that you point out errors if you find them. Also, I'm a little curious as to how I did with the placement of italicized phrases. Did I use them well, or should I cut it out.

FFFFF, enough talk. I'm going to bed now. ;n;

G'night!


	13. Chapter 13

Thanks for the feedback, guys! I'll put a little more effort into my use of the words 'its' and 'it's'!

And, I'm sorry for not publishing a chapter yesterday. I _actually_ had something to do for once, so I couldn't get around to writing. It was so weird for me. ;n; It doesn't help that I'm most up for writing around the middle of the night, either. = w =

Anyways! I hope you enjoy!

* * *

I walked, relatively frustrated back up the bustling streets of Slateport City, having gone to the Shipyard to find that the man I was looking for; Captain Stern, wasn't even there. I'd been told that he'd gone to an Oceanic Museum near the restaurant Steven and I had eaten at. A good twenty minutes distance. To top things off, the clouds that had looked so far in the distance had now made their way over the city, pouring rain. I was soaked. I was lucky the lightning in the sky didn't just smite me now.

In getting to the museum and grudgingly paying the entrance fee, I went on to turn into the museum and was left utterly speechless, the color draining from my face.

The entire Museum was _filled_ with Team Aqua Grunts. The exact same people I was supposed to keep the goods I had away from. What on earth were they doing here...?

I looked around for any signs of a person that might be Captain Stern through the massive crowd of villains when I spotted a staircase to the leftmost part of the wall before me. God forbid they make this easy for me; it being on the far side of the room where the majority of those I was meaning to avoid had accumulated.

Though everything inside my mind screamed at me against doing so, I decided to ignore my gut instinct and go to the staircase.

Taking a deep breath and ignoring all fear yelling at me to go back to the beginning, I went on, trying to act as casual as possible. I made sure to keep my eye level as normal, while keeping my gaze away from the pirate-suited crooks, even stopping my a display or two, which were actually fairly interesting. In all of this, I made sure to keep my pace slow and my body language at its norm. Doing this... I felt like _I _was the criminal.

It all seemed overcautious, but it paid off – I made up up the staircase without even a glance from any of the Team Aqua members.

Looking around, I saw some more exhibits, which included a few miniature versions of ships and one submarine, plus a few screens here and there with some information displayed on them. Then, I spotted a man with tidy brown hair, wearing a gray suit. He was admiring one of the miniatures off in the corner.

Deciding to give him a shot, I walked up to him, catching his attention with the sound of my footsteps. "I'm sorry to bother you... But you wouldn't happen to be Captain Stern, would you?" I asked.

He looked at me questioningly. "Yes, that would be me." He spoke. "Why is it you ask...?" He questioned.

I smiled, taking out the package. "Well then! Personally delivery from the Devon Corporation." I spoke in a silly voice, holding the goods up to the captain.

His face grew into a smile as me spoke. "Ah! The parts I ordered!" He explained, taking the goods. "I can't thank you enough for bringing these! Now... Now... We can begin out expedition." He exclaimed, seeming truly happy.

It looked like things weren't to go as easy as I'd anticipated them to, though.

Out from the corner of my left eye, I could see a movement. Turning around, I saw two of the grunts I'd seen from the bottom level of the building. Both wore identical, smug smiled and stood proudly, Pokeballs in hand. The one finally finally spoke, seeming to sneer down at me. "Hand over the goods now – or you'll be sorry!" I smirked. Was that the best threat he could muster? I thought up worse for the creators of commercials watching television back at home.

Captain Stern seemed frightened by the grunts, as hinted by the fear in his voice when he stuttered. "W, what? Who... Who are you?"

The grunt having just just barked at us; the one on the left let out a confident laugh. "Ha! We're Team Aqua!" He exclaimed, pointing the the symbol on his blue bandana. "Now, shut the hell up and hand over the goods!"

I let a devious smile as I ever so gently pushed Stern back as a silent gesture that I'd handle the situation. Just then, I stepped forwards, reaching to my belt, taking out my own ball. "Oh, I'll be sorry? Why is that?" I asked deviously, eying them with an overall expression to match my devious smile. "You expect me to let you have them so easily, having brought them all the way here?" I continued, feigning ignorant.

The second spoke, his voice deeper than the first. "Oh? Look at that! The girl's got a spine! Well then – if you're so curious, we'll just have to let you find out, now wont we?" He asked, his voice growing louder as he sent a ball into an air, revealing a Zubat. The other grunt quickly followed, sending out a small, red and while, crab like Pokemon I'd learned was a Corphish. Karen had told me about it briefly, as it evolved into a Water/Dark combination Pokemon.

"Oh, don't you know how to treat a lady?" I teased, taking out another ball, then throwing both into the air. "Take the stage! Sableye! Ralts!" I shouted. At once, their balls popped open, letting out a beam of white light that solidified into their forms.

My opponents began their assault immediately, the second speaking first. "Alright! Use Bubble on the the Sableye!" The growled.

"And you! Use Bite on the Ralts!" Shot the first.

At once, I had two attacks coming my way. Without much time to think, I spoke "Aright, blast the Zubat with Confusion! Sableye, take care of the bubbles with Fury Swipes, then use Night Shade!" I countered.

At once, Ralts held its hands out the Zubat's way and send a pure blast of psychic energy its way which resulted in its being sent into a wall, ratting a few pictures. Sableye itself, went and started to scratch madly at the Bubble, then sending a ray looking like black lightning at the Corphish like it had back at Brawly's gym.

The two grunts were taken back by my solid counterattack. "Why you... Use Supersonic!" Shouted the angered grunt, pointing at Ralts.

"Shi...! Quick! Bubblebeam!" The other spat.

"Alright! Ralts, Teleport before Sableye and use Confusion to send the Bubblebeam at Zubat!" I commanded.

In the blink of an eye, Ralts was before Sableye, catching the mass of bubbles with its telekinetic powers. After doing this, it cried its own name loudly, making a pushing gesture to send the attack at the Bat Pokemon. The Zubat fainted in impact, the Confusion earlier having done a great amount of damage to it.

Both turned to the Corphish, which sputtered its own name in nervousness, clapping its claws a couple times. "Aright, finish then with another Confusion blast and a Night Shade!" I ordered.

In a heartbeat, the small Ruffian Pokemon had been sent flying across the rooms floor and into the wall, where it called out its own name in a pained tone before passing out and being called back by it's owner.

The grunts looked at each other, seeming incredibly nervous. "Shit! If we don't get those parts, the boss is going to tear us a new ass!" Exclaimed the one having used the Corphish. The other looked at me with an expression of both fear and anger.

Just then, a third person could be heard coming up the stairs, causing all four of us to go stiff.

"I only sent you to go steal some lousy parts! Even idiots like you should be able to do that!." Scolded a husky voice. Seconds later, the owner appeared, having a matching husky, sailor-like body with light, black clothes and a bandana featuring the Team Aqua emblem. He also had slightly tanned skin. Though I wanted to believe anything but, I assumed him to be the boss.

He then turned to me. "And you lose to a mere child, at that?" He asked, nearing me.

I eyed him cautiously as he got ever closer to me. He was smiling, of all things. Quite an intimidating gesture, coming from a crime lord. "I'm Team Aqua's leader, Archie." He began, almost as though this were a sort of casual conversation. "Tell me. Why do you keep messing up our plans?" He asked, frustration beginning to manifest itself in his voice. "Are you a member of Team Magma?" He interrogated.

"Anything but." I retorted.

He smiled at this fact, walking off some and staring off into the museum, his arms crossed behind him as he spoke. "People, Pokemon... All life depends on the sea. So, Team Aqua is dedicated to the expansion of the it!" He explained, turning back to me with a smile. "Don't you agree? What we are doing is a magnificent undertaking!" He exclaimed.

"Expansion of the sea? Nature is at a balance, just as it is. Tampering with that..." I trained off, finding my answer to him to have already been perfectly stated. It was exactly what he was doing that came with catastrophic consequences. Was he blind?

His expression went sour. "Fine... I suppose you're still to young to understand our noble objective." He spoke, sounding near disappointed. "But... I warn you. Don't _ever_ consider messing with out plans again. The consequences will cost you dearly." He warned, his voice grave as he started towards the exit with his cronies following him, eying me in a way that let me know they found secret joy in my having been scolded by their leader.

After the last of the members of the criminal team had left, Captain Stern spoke up, clearly relieved. "That... That was too close..." He trailed off for a moment. "Ah! I'm sorry. I didn't even get your name earlier." He apologized.

I smiled warmly. "No, it's okay. You had big things on your mind." I spoke. "But, anyways. I'm Alice Maple." I spoke.

He laughed. "Alright! Thank you, Alice! That could have gone badly, in so many ways..." He trailed off.

I was about to reply when he looked down at his watch, a wide eyed expression overtaking him "Oh! I'm sorry! I really have to go, now! I'm already supposed to be back working on the expedition!" He explained, making his way for the door at a hurried pace. "Thanks again, though!" He shouted, making his way down the stairs.

Having accomplished all that I needed to here, I decided to take my leave as well. I found the exhibits interesting, yes, but I was in no mood for looking at them after such a close encounter here. In turning to go down the stairs, however, I let out a small yelp, though quickly went on to calm down, a scolding expression clear about me.

"Steven! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" I lamented, they boy at the bottom, looking up at me with an unreadable expression.

He didn't seem nearly as carefree as I did, however. "Alice, do you realize what you've just done?" He asked his voice solemn. "A grunt is bad enough, but the leader? You could have been killed, or...!" He looked up at me, a mix of anger and worry.

I eyed him, the happiness drained from me. "I understand that they're dangerous... But, there were only a few grunts down there when I came up here." I explained defensively. "If anything had gone that wrong, I could have easily had Ralts use Teleport to get us out of here." I went on.

"They wouldn't have given you _time_ to use Teleport." He retorted. "You don't understand what they're really capable of, do you?" He asked in a voice of an accusing manner.

I was actually somewhat offended by this. "Well – I can see this is going nowhere." I began, walking past him on the staircase, though stopping for a brief moment to speak to him once more, shoulder to shoulder. "I'm going to go now. I'll be at the Pokemon Center later tonight. I really don't want to try fighting a war I'm not going to win." I spoke, not looking back as I went on out of the museum. The two ladies at the front desk eying me with equally surprised expressions. I suppose they had all right, my having just spoken to the Champion the way I had.

...

I walked around the town after that, Stevens words heavy in my mind. I mean, I had to admit, after thinking it over... It was a foolish move, yes. But, at the same time... I couldn't help but be upset by Steven's underestimating me. I guess he couldn't help it – I might as well have seem helpless to him. His Pokemon were likely well into their fifties while Vulpix, my strongest... They'd only recently reached level twenty.

While walking however, a particularly large, bright colored building caught my eye. I looked up slowly, my eyes widening a little as I did, as well as a small smile curling onto my lips. A large, electronic sign flashed "CONTEST TODAY AT 12:00PM. SIGN UPS END AT 11:00AM."

Curiously, I looked at My Pokenav and found the time read 10:30AM. This in mind, I walked into the building at a hurried back, quickly finding a restroom stall where I changed into the costume I'd worn a while back, which featured a tight fitted, red shirt with a pretty golden trim around the sleeves and neck, and a pair of tightly fitted black jeans to go with it. To go with the outfit, a pair of tight boots and black corset having faint golden with vertical stripes that went down along it. It also featured a tailcoat behind that reached my mid thighs and was designed so that the string to tighten up the corset could be done up at the front; the area around the holes to pull the string through being golden in color. To top it off, I there was a red sash with small tassels and even a few spots for me to attach Pokeballs.

Then to hide my identity, I put on a simplistic, black masquerade mask with some feathers to the side of the right eye. Once again, I couldn't help but feel there was a sort of pirate, Victorian feel to the entire thing. I wasn't as find this time, having just fought off a criminal team with a theme like that.

Having fit into this and stuffed by clothing into my bag, I exited the stall where I went to the mirror, brushing my hair and trying an elastic into there, creating a loose ponytail which started at my lower neck. Happy with this, I quickly rushed to the desk, one again signing up as my pseudonym 'Red'. Just in time, too. The minute I finished, they closed registry.

Having done this, I made my way to a small waiting room, where I sent out my Ralts.

"Alright Ralts!" I began, though in a hushed voice. "You remember that nice Will-o-Wisp/Confusion technique you used a while back?" I asked, remembering my fight to catch Dustox, who had been a Cascoon at the time. "How does showing it the the world sound?" I suggested.

Ralts put its hand to its chin, letting out an indecisive cry.

My expression changed. "Or... If you don't want to... That's okay. I could have Vulpix, or Sableye, or even Dustox help me out again of-"

I felt a familiar thud on my head, as it had done it me a while ago before I had caught it. Just the, it cried out it's name enthusiastically, seeming to agree to the plan.

I smiled, and sighed in relief. So, from there, I went on to discuss with the small Emotion Pokemon for the next half hour as to what it could do. Slowly, but steadily, we came to a conclusion, though the entire time... I couldn't help but let Steven wander into my mind, wondering if I'd just taken his warning to seriously.

Just then, the screen in the small, white room lit up, revealing Vivian; the announcer's face. "Alright folks! It's the time you've all been waiting for!" She shouted, her face ever enthusiastic. "Let's have entry number one; Robert come on stage!"

…

I waited patently with Ralts, who sat in my lap for about an hour and a half, making it approximately 12:30PM. I curiously wondered what Steven was up to, but dismissed the thought. I wouldn't let him being on my mind sully my performance.

That's when my name was called by the enthusiastic announcer. Having heard this, I bright Ralts back to it's ball and ran down the halls and into the main area, which was much larger than what I had originally preformed in. The stage was enormous, and the crowds were just as large, people everywhere screaming in excitement. If I hadn't been wearing my mask, I'd be petrified with fear.

Taking a gulp, I threw Ralt's ball into the air, revealing it in a flash of white light, forming Ralts, though this time in mid air. It cried out its own name as it used its Confusion to gently float down to the ground, almost as though an umbrella would for cute effect.

"Alright, now! Use Will-o-Wisp!" I commanded.

At once, Ralts had dozens of blue, floating fireballs appear in mid air. That having been done, it used its Confusion to lift itself about 20 feet back into the air, then going on to take control of the ghostly flames; moving them around it cyclically in a rough, sphere-like shape. The entire appeal's appearance gave it a sort of eerie appearance; exactly what I was going for. I'd gladly choose an eerie appeal like this over a cute juggling act. I could only hope the judges felt the same way.

After about thirty seconds or so, I decided to put an end to the appeal. "Alright, now end it!" I commanded. At once, Ralts made a motion with its arm, bringing all of the flames to an immediate halt. From there, it waited a few seconds for the finale.

Giving it the signal, it nodded and had all of the fireballs come in onto it at once, creating a large explosion of flames.

Some of the members of the audience gasped out in surprise, causing a mischievous grin to grow across my face. Just then, however, a white light appeared before me; Ralts coming forth from it with Teleport, completing my shocking performance.

Having finished the appeal, the both of us took a bow to signal such. It was at that moment that the crowd began cheering and Vivian spoke. "Wow! What an explosive and edgy appeal! Using frighting moves like Will-o-Wisp and Confusion really gave it a dark edge!" She complimented. "Now, let's see what the judged thought!" She continued, motioning towards the scoreboard.

A few moments went on rolling by before a large 27.5 appeared.

I smiled happily as I returned Ralts, congratulating it on a job well done. Thereafter, I walked off of the stage and back into the waiting room, where they'd just begun to announce those moving onto the next round.

Vivian's voice rang through the room. "... And those moving onto the battle rounds are..." She trained off, turning to the screen. At once, it began to display those coordinators having moved on "May, Robert, Drew, Red, Penelope, Kurt, Neil and Kai! You'll all be moving onto the final round!" She announced, looking back at the screen once more.

"Now, let's see who's going to be fighting who." She spoke, watching as the screen blacked out, revealing a sort of battle map for the miniature tournament. I cursed to myself silently when I was my opponent, though. I was to fight first against a boy named Robert. He had a Pokemon called Milotic – a Pokemon who's power reportedly matched that of a Gyarados. I remembered it from way back when as one of the Pokemon Melissa wanted, and I knew it would give me trouble.

Being first to battle, I calmly made my way from the waiting room and onto the stage, Robert having already made his way into the opposite side. Both of us poke nothing, eying each other carefully.

"Now, go!" Shouted Vivian.

Both of us threw out Pokeball onto the field, revealing his gorgeous Milotic. My Ralts appeared on the opposite side, already paling to the Tender Pokemon.

"Alright, begin with Water Pulse." Began Robert, speaking calmly. His arms were crossed; a gesture that he was fairly confident in this battle, and with good reason.

His Milotic, having the exact same facade generated a blue ball in its mouth before throwing the ball at the floor, where it burst into a long, powerful wave which quickly made its way towards Ralts.

I ground my teeth. "Alright now! Divide a path in the water and use Will-o-Wisp to burn it!" I commanded.

At once, Ralts clasped its hands together directly before it, and just as the wave approached, separated its hands and moved them both to its side's so that they formed a straight line. This having been done, a small slit appeared in the wave, keeping it from hitting Ralts.

However, it seemed that in my haste to form a counter attack, Robert had uttered a command which went on unnoticed, but because of the loud waves and crowd, and the wave obstructing our vision from the opponents.

The waved having been pulled into two revealed Milotic slithering right behind it, its tail glowing a silvery-white in preparation to use Iron Tail. Before I could even think of a counter for this, it swept its tail into Ralts with great force, sending it hurdling into the distance.

I cringed at the sight, but noticed Ralts get back up, staggering. Though wary of continuing, I decided to anyways. I shouted. "A, alright! surround it with Double Team, then use your Confusion/Will-o-Wisp combo!" I ordered, somewhat unsure. I mean, there was nothing else for me to do... But this... I wasn't too sure.

Ignoring the skepticism in my voice, Ralts floated towards the Water type and divided into about a dozen, all throwing forth multitudinous, blue flames which quickly began to circle Ralt's foe. One by one, they smashed into it, withdrawing a pained yelp from the Tender Pokemon.

Looking up at the scoreboard for a moment, I smiled. Two minutes had passed, and I had lowered Roberts score to a lower point than mine... Perhaps... Perhaps I could actually pull this off...

However, Robert seemed to have made different plans; calling out his next attack. His voice was still calm and collected, showing only the slightest bit of worry. "Alright, now. Why don't we use twister to extinguish this?" He suggested.

At once, the Milotic calmed itself, in spite of the fireballs pelting it and concentrated; an orb of wind appearing in front of the end of Milotic's tail. A tornado was then released from the orb, quickly enveloping the beautiful Pokemon. The tornado then went on to grow after that, sucking in Ralts and all the remaining fireballs, which were put out by the intense winds.

After being thrown around by the vicious winds for a while, the tornado died down, throwing Ralts only feet before me where it cried out its own name weakly upon impact. It went to go and get up, but fell on back down, muttering its own name in a frustrated voice.

Regardless of whether or not Ralts may have been able to get up and try to continue on, I decided another blow like that would be far too much for the small Emotion Pokemon to bear. Feeling utterly defeated, I brought out its ball and called it back, sighing sadly. "Ralts, you were excellent to even get that far against such a strong opponent. I'm just sorry I couldn't do you any better..." I spoke.

I walked off stage when Vivian went on talking, declaring Robert winner of the round. If I hadn't been wearing my mask, it would have likely looked like I had just come back from a funeral.

…

As it would turn out, Robert would go on to take the Slateport Ribbon, defeating the trainers Drew and Kai with only the slightest bit more of difficulty. Though it was sort of bad to feel the way I did, I was a little happy that the fault wasn't completely mine. Robert... He was just an extremely powerful trainer. I was lucky that Ralts was good enough to have even been able to do what it had.

After getting changed, I went on to leave the building, immediately heading on over to the Pokemon Center, where I dropped of Ralts to be healed.

After that, I'd remembered the promise I had made to Mr. Stone, calling him and alerting him to the goods having successfully been delivered. He's gone on and told me that Steven had already told him this, _and_ of my run in with the head of team aqua; Archie. I was kind of disheartened by the news; feeling guilty once more, but he went on telling me that Steven acted this way all the time and that it wasn't a big deal before having to go.

The rest of the day, I took advantage of my free time, spending it at various landmarks in the city like some cliffs, located at the westernmost part of the city, the lighthouse, and even at the Museum, learning a few things while I was there. I'd gone and eaten dinner as well, though this time at a different restaurant than before. This one was near the cities lighthouse, where I had some mashed potato's and some stir fried vegetables. I had a nice time there, being able to eat some of my favorite foods while being able to look through the window at the sun, which set over the sea.

After going around and finding everything I could possibly get myself into, I went back to the center. From there, I went on to get some food for my Pokemon, to which they thoroughly enjoyed, devouring quickly before I brought them back to their balls, sitting in a corner while I quietly read a book, giving me basic information to the region's local Pokemon.

It wasn't until around seven that I heard the bells to the center's doors for what seemed to be the thousandth time right, signaling the entry of another presence.

Curious, I looked up to see none other than the silver haired Champion. He went on to the front desk where he carried out a conversation with the nurse for a few moments before nodding and looking back to me with a somewhat apologetic expression. In response, I turned away, feeling the guilt for having snapped at him bubbling to the surface.

He made his way to me and quickly took a seat beside me. "Alice, I..." He trailed off, seeming short of words. "I'm sorry for that back there. It's just..."

I spoke before he had the chance to, putting on a smile. "No, no. It's alright. I... I understand the power of Team Aqua, and it was foolish of me to head on in there like I had with such a lousy back up plan..." I trailed off, the combination of losing today's contest and having fought with Steven silencing me.

"Still, it doesn't give me the right to talk to you like that. I'm sorry." He spoke.

I nodded, both acknowledging him and accepting the apology. "It was a silly fight to begin with. I think we both over exaggerated the situation." I spoke. "Let's just try to keep it from happening again, I guess..." I trailed off.

This having been established between the two of us, we reached a silent calm, happy to have once again established out friendship. We sat there, holding a conversation until the late hours of the night before individually showering and then going on to bed, excited for a new day.


	14. Chapter 14

Sorry for the delay, guys. I was ridiculously sleepy last night, as I'd been able to fall asleep the night before. ;n; I got most of it done yesterday, but went on to stop around the point where Brendan was beaten, afraid I'd go on to make too many mistakes. I probably have, but I tried to find them. Also, OpenOffice was acting a little strange... So alert me to any errors regarding the format.

Anyways, enough of that. I hope you enjoy!

* * *

It had been about 9:30 when Steven woke me up by dropping Vulpix onto my stomach, having been unable to wake me up by conventional methods like prodding and speaking my name. We'd both had breakfast at the center, which was a tomato and a yogurt for me. Steven went on to have a full blown breakfast; with eggs, hash browns, toast and whatnot.

It had been about 10:30 when we finally left the town, my mood having already taken a turn for the worst an hour later.

Trying my best to keep the foul words running rampant through my head from escaping my mouth, I walked through Route 110 – a small, bridge of earth and sod, held in place by large, rocky barriers. Above was the ever winding Cycling Road.

The scene was beautiful, and Steven, who trailed by my side brought me great comfort. I'd gone and won a few battles as well, but...

You see - I'd tried to catch a _green_ Oddish earlier. It was all going well until it used Stun Spore, immobilizing both Ralts _and_ myself. To top it off, I didn't even get to catch it. The little things had run off while Steven helped me out, administering to me a herb called the Salveyo Weed. Why he had this, I hadn't the slightest idea, but I'd simply go and drop it. In situations like this, it was sometimes best to go on and avoid asking questions. Melissa and her shenanigans were a prime example of such occurrences.

"It's too bad you couldn't catch that Oddish, eh?" Ashed Steven, seeming to have picked up on my foul mood. It was nice of him to at least try and cheer me up, so I kept myself from replying snappily.

I sighed. "It's bad enough it escaped – it had to take it a step further and paralyze me, the little basta..."

That's when I heard my name being called by a familiar voice from the distance. I cringed at it, having also developed a small headache as I muttered quietly under my breath. "Brendan..." His timing couldn't have been worse. At that moment, I swore some bigger force out there was laughing at me right now.

Brendan come from up ahead, stopping before me. "Hey, Alice! Long time no see!" He shouted, nearing the two of us.

He, however, stopped dead in his tracks when he caught a glimpse of the man standing next to me. His face was unreadable. "Alice... Is that..." He trailed off, seeing overwhelmed of the whole situation.

It didn't seem odd that he was here to me, but I suppose I'd grown to just gradually ignore that Steven was the de facto Champion. I smiled, laughing a bit. "No, I just bought a Steven blow up doll back in Slateport." I spoke innocently, motioning over to Steven. "You be surprised, how realistic they are, for such a low price." I went on, my voice somewhat sarcastic.

At once, the both began to laugh, causing me to cringe once more. "Oh my god, Alice... Really? Bow up doll of all things?" Laughed Brendan, his hands on his knees to support himself. Steven had his hand over his gut, laughing almost has hard as Brendan, only intensifying my throbbing head. Maybe I was allergic to that Salveyo weed, or something.

It took a while, but the two light haired clowns finally calmed down, me in the middle with a grumpy expression. "Anyways, Alice. What's the Champion doing with you?" He asked, looking up to Steven as though he were some sort of majestic idol.

Steven spoke for me though. "I met her a while back in Oldale. I've been tagging along with her since." He began.

He looked at the two of us incredulously. "So, are the two of you, you know... Dating?" He asked, pointing at the both of us.

I was about to _loudly_ disagree when I felt Steven's arm around my neck, reminding me of our height differences; him being over six feet tall while I was no more than 5'4. I let out a slight yelp as I he brought me cup close, where I collided into him, though he went on, living up to his last name and not even budging an inch.

"We haven't spent much time together yet, but I can assure you that we're _very_ close." He spoke, looking down at me with a mischievous grim that screamed revenge for my little stunt.

I elbowed him in the ribs, causing him to let go. "Am not! I'd do a lot of things to a doll like this, but I'd never _date_ it." I spoke, crossing my arms in a childish manner.

Brendan was almost in tears. "Well, you guys really act the part. I mean, look at you!" He spoke.

I coughed, deciding _I'd_ be the one to issue the challenge today. It would be a nice way to end this, and an even better way to release some pent up anger over that ridiculous Oddish.

Having decided this to myself, I spoke. "Alright, how about we have another battle?" I challenged, my eyes determined. "I mean, I'm thinking that you... Having come from up there, would have improved only a little bit, right?" I asked, taking out ball.

Brendan smile, mirroring my expression and parroting my tone. "Now, it seems like you're getting the hang of this!" He spoke, taking out a ball and throwing it onto the field. Within a few moments, his Lotad, now having evolved into Lombre emerged in a flash of light while, a lazy expression about it as it sat there, waiting for something to happen.

"Okay then. Ralts, let's go!" I shouted, throwing the ball into the air to reveal my Emotion Pokemon.

Brendan started the battle immediately, now having zoned out Steven to concentrate on me. "Alright! Use Nature Power!" He shouted, pointing at Ralts.

I braced myself, clenching my teeth. If he used Stun Spore again... Well, to put it simply; there would be no way Ralts could concentrate in on and move thousands of tiny little spores, or generate a wind powerful enough to counter.

To my relief, however, it came out as about ten blade leaves which came flying at Ralts; a simple Razor Leaf, was all.

"Alright. Send them back, just to the ground before us!" I ordered. Ralts, uttering its own name in agreement and grabbed the blades, hurdling them down to the ground before us, forcing the dust into the air. It was ironic that I'd be copying a strategy Brendan used in the battle before this. I prayed that his losing wouldn't also reflect on me in this battle.

Having established a cover, I quickly decided on out next move. "Now, use Double Team! Then, come from the cloud and use a Will-o-Wisp/Confusion combo at!" I spoke.

At once, about a dozen figures emerged from the fog, all launching a spinning ring of fire.

Brendan was obviously overwhelmed by the attack, as judging by his facial expression. "Q, quick! Dodge them!" He stuttered.

Though it was a nice try, his Pokemon failed. It was lucky, seeing that the first few rings merely disappointed upon impact, though one of the final ones finally came in and revealed itself to be the real one, as hinted by its bellowing blue flames out from impact. The Jolly Pokemon cried out as it fell back a few feet, getting up moments later.

"Quick! Use Absorb!" He shouted, seeing that the attack took a toll on his Lombre.

The moment the attack was mentioned, Lombre held out its hands and shot at Ralts a beam of red light which quickly enveloped it. Ralts was visibly pained by the attack, falling onto what would be its knees, holding itself up from the ground with its hands as it strained its own name.

"Blast it with Confusion!" I shouted, pointing to the enemy Lombre. I knew Ralts was suffering... But I knew it to be more than capable.

Ralts looked up from the ground, slowly making its way back up to it's feet where it help up its hand before it, almost as though gesturing a photo. Then, shouting it's own name loudly, it let out a strong telekinetic blast which went on to knock the Pokemon back a few feet once more, canceling the attack.

"Alright Ralts, now use..." I trailed off, looking down at it with a puzzled expression. "What...?" I trailed off, noticing Ralts entire form glowing. It took me a moment to process what was happening before it finally registered. "Oh, Ralts! You're evolving!" I exclaimed, worried for a moment that something was wrong with the Emotion Pokemon.

In a few moments, Ralts grew to be about twice it's original size, standing at about two feet. They had a white body and looked as though it wearing a tutu with skinny, green legs. Kirlia's hair no longer blocked its eyes as much as Ralts's 'hair' did. Instead, it had bangs that reach down to its shoulders. In addition, it now had two red horns have shifted their position, making them look like hair pins.

"Well that was lucky, now wasn't it?" Ashed Brendan, a mix of happiness and frustration evident in his voice. I couldn't blame him, though. I mean, I'd be pretty ticked, too, if it had happened to me.

Regardless, I smiled confidently just as Brendan launched his next attack. "Try using Absorb again!" He shouted.

At once, the Pokemon launched the read beam at Kirlia, eying it with determination.

"Alright," I began. "Erect a firewall with your Will-o-Wisp/Confusion combo, then blast them with it!" I spoke.

Kirlia spoke its own name as it had multitudinous amounts of blue, spectral balls of fire appear which it began whirling around to create a circular shield before it. Afterwards, it moved its hands around carefully, though swiftly, shoving them forward to send the blast at the small Jolly Pokemon in the form of a long, snake-like dragon.

I'd expected its Confusion and Will-o-Wisp to have improved, but they'd done so by much more than I'd gone and expected them to. In a few seconds, the makeshift dragon, having flown up above the Lombre came crashing down on it.

Once the flames cleared up, it was revealed that Lombre had fainted in the flames, laying in a charred patch of grass. Brendan brought out it's ball and recalled it, issuing some works of assurance that it had done well.

He then turned to me. "There just isn't any ways of getting anything by you, is there?" He asked, some mild frustration evident in his voice, once more. Maybe he wasn't having a great day either, poor guy.

Seeming to want to deal damage quickly, he sent out Marshtomp.

I decided to recall Kirlia – it having sustained some damage before evolving. Then, I took out a ball and popped it open, revealing Sableye, who's figure was hunched as it eyed the Marshtomp with its wide, trademark smile. its movements were quick paced and twitchy, giving it the appearance of a would be drug addict in withdrawal.

"Alright, use Foresight!" He commanded. Nothing evident happened, but I knew the attack's effects. Now any normal type attack it threw at me would work. I'd have to keep my guard up for that.

"Alright, begin by using Night Shade!" I began.

Sableye jumped into the air, excitedly crying its own name as it shot a black beam from its crystalline eye's, hitting the Mud Fish Pokemon head on. It let out a pained grunt, but said nothing.

Some time passed, Brendan saying not a single word. Though suspicious, I ordered another attack. "Alright now! Get in close and use Fury Swipes!" I commanded, pointing at the immobile Marshtomp.

Sableye wasted little time, dashing on over while muttering its name in an almost crazed fashion, raking its claws across the target once it got there. Marshtomp drew its arms up in a crossed formation in its defense, but Brendan said nothing again... Though it seemed as though he was... Smirking...?

My eyes widened when I came to realize the cause for his silence. "Quick! Sableye! Get out of there!" I panicked.

Brendan's grin grew wider. "Too late!" He shot. "Now, use Bide!" He commanded, pointing at Sableye who stood there, a confused expression as it frowned, tilting its head in curiosity.

As Sableye registered my command and began to dart towards me, Marshtomp began to glow white. Then, having fully prepared itself, it sent forth a beam of energy from its body, blasting Sableye into the ground and grinding my Darkness Pokemon into the ground where it let out a loud, pained cry. I should have seen through the attack, with him having used Foresight...

I brought Sableye back to its ball. "Congrats, Sableye. You were awesome out there, and don't you forget it." I spoke.

I took out my final ball. "Well now. Vulpix, it looks like you're up." I spoke, throwing it out onto the field. It emerged with a cry, eying its own personal rival very carefully.

I received incredulous looks from both Brendan and Steven. "But... Alice... I'm using a water type and Vulpix is a fire type..." He spoke, seeming reluctant to take advantage of such a strong type advantage. At least he was courteous in battle. I wish I could say the same 24/7... Though his running off before I was able to speak wedged a gap between that ever happening.

I smiled. "Well, yes. You have the advantage, and you've evolved your Mudkip since their last fight... But Vulpix is my number one. I have faith that they can win again." I spoke, smiling confidently.

"Alright then! Mud Shot!" He commanded.

The Mud Fish Pokemon spoke its own name, hurdling copious amounts of mud at Vulpix.

"Well then. Dodge with Quick Attack and set the terrain ablaze with Heat Wave like at the gym!" I spoke.

An odd move at first glance, yes... But Steven had told me a while back that the reason the blast from within the flames at Dewford Gym had become so very powerful was because of Vulpix's ability; Flash Fire. I'd only thought to use it to stop fire from damaging it, but as it would turn out, it can also make it stronger.

Having created a sufficient fire, Vulpix hopped into it, hiding itself from the Mud Fish Pokemon and its trainers view.

"Hah! So what? We'll just put it out!" He shot, seeming just a tad overconfident. "Now, use Water Gun to douse the fire!" He commanded.

His Marshtomp seemed to share his enthusiasm, shouting its name before going and spitting a stream of water at the crackling flames. However, a jet of intense fires came from within the blaze, heading straight into the attack meant to put out the fire. That having been done, the water evaporated into midair before it even got to the fire.

While Brendan stood there, astounded by this feat, I made my next move. "Alright Brendan! Stand to the side or you might get a little toasty!" I warned, seeing the trainer take my advice and hastily make his way to the side of the field instead of diagonally across from me. Seeing that he was safe, I moved on without restraint. "Go now! Heat Wave, full throttle!"

The flames grew bigger as though they were angry before a beam-like blast of fire came forth from the flames, hitting Marshtomp with incredible power. The Mud Fish Pokemon went on careening backwards, landing in the sea where it eventually floated to the surface, clearly unconscious. I was thankful then that it was a water type at the moment – I'd have a pretty difficult tile living it down if I ever drowned my friend's Pokemon.

Brendan brought his Pokemon back to its ball, congratulating it. "That was some move there. How'd you pull that off?" He asked.

I smiled. "Flash Fire, its special ability. What it does is it powers up Fire-type moves if hit by fire." I spoke. "Why else would I be so careless with that first Heatwave? Vulpix hasn't ever missed its mark yet." I spoke, confident in the small Pokemon.

"Oh? Well then. Let's see how well it does against Slugma!" He Challenged, throwing the specified Pokemon's ball out into the field.

I recalled Vulpix, taking out Kirlia's ball once more and throwing it onto the field. "Well, that's not quite the match-up I had in mind, you see." I spoke, bringing Vulpix back to its ball. "See, for this job... Kirlia would be better suited." I spoke.

"Alright! Suit yourself!" He spoke, seeming unfazed by my change in Pokemon. "Rock Throw!"

I raised a brow, noting there to be no rocks on the field... Until I recalled the very ones keeping the turf from being washed away from the water. I didn't have to worry about the area being swept to sea by the waves – the rocks were multitudinous in number. I was just caught off guard, not having though Rock Throw could actually _move_ preexisting rocks...

From the air came the rocks having been thrown by an unseen force, narrowly missing Kirlia who used a set of complex dance moves to keep away, nearly finding itself in harms way a few times.

An idea went and popped into my head just then. "Alright! Use Confusion to form a whirlpool around Slugma with the water!" I ordered, pointing to the sea in which Marshtomp had just been in.

Having received its order, the Emotion Pokemon closed its eyes, concentrating on the water. Then, having grasped the liquid, it brought it from the sea and began to surround Slugma with it. The Magma Pokemon cried out helplessly, being trapped in a gargantuan water droplet.

Having gotten this far, Kirlia held up its right hand and made a spinning motion of sorts; the water imitating the gesture by starting to spin whale quickly, and steadily increasing its speed, until it became so fast paced that the whirlpool ended threw the helpless Slugma around through the hourglass-shaped water formation.

After some time, Kirlia threw the Slugma out from the whirlpool before tossing the water back into the sea, letting at a cry, almost as though declaring the move complete.

"Slugma! Can you still go on?" Asked Brendan, leaning over by his Fire type Pokemon.

It cried out slowly, having visually stiffened up from its magma body having cooled some. This having been said, he brought the Pokemon back to its ball and congratulated it.

Brendan went on to look my way. "Wow Alice! Those moves, its like you're a top class coordinator or something." He complimented.

I admired him for that – getting over a loss so quickly, and smiling on top of it. "Well, I must admit. Confusion works wonders. I suppose its almost like a bit of a cheat move." I spoke. "But thank you. You're Pokemon are powerful, too. Especially you're Marshtomp, taking Sableye down in a single blow." I complimented.

He laughed a bit. "Well, I've been training a lot with them on the side, so I guess." He spoke. "Anyways, I'd better get going this way. That shiny Oddish you told me about? I think I'll take a jab at it." He explained, waving as he ran off.

I waved back as Steven spoke. "Well, you've have a pretty good style going for you." Spoke Steven, causing me to jump. I almost _always_ did that in a battle; forget that he was there. It didn't help that he took pleasure in scaring the bejeus out of me every time.

"I owe it all to my Kirlia in the end, actually." I spoke, looking down at the small, dancer-like Pokemon having neared me once more, happily calling its own name. "I mean, it was back in Petalburg woods that it first used a Will-o-Wisp/Confusion combo." I described. "At the time... I'd only intended to have it simply hurdle them with Confusion at Dustox... But it decided it felt like spicing it up." I spoke, recalling the capture.

"Well, you've really got something great going on, don't you?" He spoke, starting out pace forwards through the route. "I mean, it seems like your Pokemon... They want to help you get stronger, just as much as you want them to." He went on.

I grinned down at Kirlia who cried its name happily in agreement. "Well, I'm pretty lucky then, aren't I?" I spoke, again running through my mind how extremely lucky I was to be blessed with Pokemon having chosen _me_, instead of having to go break my back looking for them.

…

I'd ended up returning Kirlia, who's actually been more exhausted than it had let on, seeming to simply enjoy the company of Steven and I; unwilling to give it up. I'd assured it the two of us weren't going anywhere when I brought it back to its ball. Afterwards, I went on letting Dustox out, having grown to feel awkward without a Pokemon tailing along with me.

Steven and I, we had traveled for about half an hour more before finally making it to Mauville City. The town was energetic, though not busy, and it was brightly colored with trees and flowers every which way. Most people I saw were actually fairly happy, waving my by as I crossed paths with them.

And, of coarse, there was an occasional bystander that made their way up to Steven, asking for something along the lines of an autograph. I hardly noticed this, comparing it to the flock of fans I'd been engulfed into a while back in Slateport. It was too bad not all his fans were as decent, like 'little Ms. Sign my Boob'.

I smiled at the image of Steven's face when he had done that. He'd looked utterly disturbed.

On getting the the Pokemon Center, I followed Steven into the building who'd gone and held the door open for me. By now, I'd just come and accepted that it was sort of in his nature to act like a gentleman; though I still made it clear to him that I didn't want him spoiling me. He'd laughed when I told him this earlier in the morning as the two of us had called a truce.

I was nearing the front counter to go hand in my Pokemon to get checked up on when I felt Dustox, having perched on my head earlier fly off to my left, crying its own name happily as it flew.

"Oh! Dustox! You silly thing, you! Get back here!" I spoke, following it to where it had landed.

A young lady, maybe in her twenties sat there with Dustox on her head, seeming surprised at first. Then, however, she slowly took it off, perching it on her arm much like I had on a few occasions.

I was about to speak when I felt a figure brush up beside me, letting out a solemn, husky "Sol" under its voice; the exact sound leading me to to know that what was beside me was, in fact, another Pokemon.

Looking down, I spotted a a four legged mammal-like Pokemon. It had a dark blue and gray body which was covered in white fur, with a ruff around its neck and chest, and a tuft on the top of its head adorned with a single blue-black oval. It had a cat-like face, a scythe-like tail and a sickle-shaped growth on the side of its head. Its broad, circular feet were equipped with three claws each, and spikes protrude from the heels of its hind legs and the elbows of its anterior legs.

It looked like a pretty scary Pokemon at first, but after looking at it for a moment, you kind of saw the beauty in it. It kind of reminded my of a femme fatale.

"Oh! Well, this is not something you don't see ever day, girl!" Exclaimed the woman in the chair; an accent evident in her voice. "My Absol there – he's been a little loner since I got him! He doesn't like me one bit, you see!" She exclaimed.

I smiled at the enthusiastic girl, petting Absol, how's head reached my waist. "Well, that's something out of the ordinary, too." I spoke, motioning towards Dustox the Bug type Pokemon. "Dustox is friendly, I'll give it that... But its never gone up to anyone like that except myself. You're the first." I spoke.

She looked up at me as though a light had clicked on in her head. "Well then! Why don't we trade? Absol... They're too much a responsibility for me. I would love a Pokemon like this!" She exclaimed, seeming thrilled by the thought of the idea.

My face went from a happy one to a serious one. "Oh, well... I don't know... I mean..." I trailed off. "Maybe... Maybe, let's discuss it, first." I spoke, apprehensive of the whole situation.

…

Maria; the woman with the Absol sat across in the large, padded seat from me at a booth while I discussed with her a few things. Steven had excused himself to go to the Mart, having reportedly run low on supplies himself, having me and the mystery trainer some time to talk alone.

Eventually though, we ended up idly chatting. Though this, I learned she was the owner of a small company in Sinnoh, and had caught Absol while in Fortree City. The two didn't get along with each other well, though, as it reportedly liked to get out, battle and move around, enjoying simple things. She was always on the move; even here, and it had already grown impatient of her.

I'd also gone and told her that Dustox had actually won a contest in the past; greatly enjoying them. She nearly shrieked in excitement, reportedly having wanted to enter Absol in Contests.

Afterwards, I;d gone and asked Dustox of the whole thing. It actually seemed pretty up to it, seeming ecstatic at being able to frequently participate in contests; Maria living in Hearthome City, where the Contest Hall in Sinnoh was located. It also seemed to take a shine to her, having perched on her shoulder the entire time.

After talking for some thing with the woman, I was at ease, feeling that she would be more than capable for providing for my Dustox. So, we'd gone and given each other our numbers and registered them in each others Pokenavs. I'd also gone and asked Dustox multitudinous times if it was sure of this, it eventually going and slapping me playfully in the face with a wing. I was kind of sad to see it go... But knew what it was like to have another oppress what you wanted to do. My father had been iffy about me going on a journey of my own before, and I'd let that get in my way back then.

I wouldn't let it happen to Dustox.

After some time, Maria and I brought our respective Pokemon back to their balls, walking over to the nurse, who didn't seem the least bit busy. Maria spoke up first. "Hello Nurse. I hate to bother you, but could me and my friend here trade Pokemon?" She asked.

The nurse looked up from a magazine she had pulled our earlier, seeming to have nothing better to do. Unlike the clerk I'd bought my current outfit from, however, we got a bright response, as to be expected from the nurses. "Oh! Why, of course! Follow me, please." She spoke, putting down the magazine and taking us through a hallway, leading to a small room; an odd machine at the end.

The nurse lead us to it; the machine apparently being what was needed to swap Pokemon. Maria walked up to it and placed her Pokeball in the right tray; a red button lighting up on her side.

Following the gesture, I held Dustox's ball for a moment before finally putting it on the table. This having been done, a red light lit up on my side as it had done on Maria's. Then, both turned green; our Pokeballs being sucked into the trading machine; the respective others coming out only a moment later.

Both of us went on to send out our new Pokemon. At once, Dustox landed on Maria's head, and Absol sat beside me quietly, though it had a content, happy look on it's face.

The nurse spoke. "Congratulations. Now, If you'll excuse me..." She trailed off, making her way out of the room.

I looked up at Maria. "Now, you take care of Dustox, or else." I warned, though not in a threatening manner. The last thing I wanted was her never calling me because I scared her.

She nodded happily, taking Dustox into her arms. "Yes, I'll take great care of it!" She spoke, looking down at Dustox, who jeered in happily. "Thanks! I really appreciate this!" She spoke.

I smiled. "Well, I'd better go find my friend there before he goes and gets into something. Call me ever once in a while, though. Okay?" I asked, turning around to leave.

"I'll be sure to! Especially if I win a contest!" She agreed.

With that, I was off; an old friend gone and missed, with a new one trailing my my side.


	15. Chapter 15

Okay. I'd like to make it clear that I think the way I wrote the final parts of the last story to be _horrendous_. After reading it, I actually went and re-did that last part, making it seem less impersonal. The last thing I want is to make Alice seem heartless and willing to go ditch her current Pokemon for strong ones – I'm trying to write her to be a good, humane and caring character.

So, please go re-read the Absol bit. However, if you've read the version to which the woman Alice trades with is names Maria, don't bother. You've already read it. I deeply apologize for the inconvenience. If I do this ever again... Well, you'll have official right to flame me on the spot.

Also, I'm sorry this is short. I had to be somewhere today, and I didn't get as much time as I would have liked to work on this. I'm still satisfied with the length, though. I mean, look at the last chapter's size compared to the first; quite the difference. xD Don't worry though, this won't become habit... Like publishing these things at three in the freaking morning. It seems that's when I make all my mistakes. ;n;

Regardless of my screw up, enjoy. xD

* * *

It would turn out that I would stay at the center a while longer; having forgotten to heal my Pokemon before I left. Sometimes, I took into consideration my mother's occasionally telling me I should have been born blonde instead of with the crimson colored hair on my head.

Having to wait at the center, I'd obviously stayed and chatted with Maria a while longer before that having found out that her small company went and sold merchandise for Contests. I'd eventually have to say goodbye, though, waving the two off as they went on, waiting for their ride via taxi to the airport. It had turned out that I had arrived just in time; as her car drove in, just as I left.

Moving on, I eventually spotted a roof with a large blue building and walked in, finding Steven ogling a few evolutionary stones they had set up on display. Figures. At least I'd know what to get him for his birthday, if the day ever came.

I walked up beside him without him noticing and spoke with intentions of scaring him. "Those are pretty nice now, aren't they?" I asked.

He jumped, nearly hitting my face with the back of his head. Turning around, he eyed me with a wide eyed expression. "What the hell! Alice? When did you get here?" He asked, his wide eyed expression making me giggle.

I smiled. "I stalked you, silly." I spoke, mimicking the voice of one of his fangirls.

"Oh, and... Well, I went though with the trade." I spoke, seeing Steven look down at the Disaster Pokemon. My heart still sank just a little when I thought about it. Absol, sensing Steven's gaze looked back up at him, as though analyzing him before seeming to dismiss the Champion, looking away without any interest. From what I had gathered, they were extremely quiet; a change compared to my others.

He looked at me and smiled. "You know, you're beginning to worry me. That's a Vulpix; which evolves into a Pokemon known to place thousand year curses." He started. "Then a Kirlia; a powerful physic type. Then, a Sableye and an Absol – one having previously thought to steal souls, and the other warning about disasters. What's next?" He asked, a cheeky smile having crossed his lips..

I shrugged. "I'll know when I get there." I spoke. That's when it occurred to me to check Absol's moves. Especially since I was set on challenging the leader today.

Taking out my Pokedex, which I hadn't used for quite some time, I pointed it at Absol. In a few moments, it let me know that it was, indeed on level 19, knowing Aerial Ace, Razor Wind, Scratch and Quick Attack. A pretty good moveset – I'd just have to learn how to use a physical attacker now – as I'd gone on using special attacks for the majority of my journey.

Steven peered in over my shoulder. "Not bad at all for its level." He spoke.

I let a smile curl it way onto my lips. "My thoughts exactly." I spoke. "So... I suppose I'll go on and challenge the leader." You staying here... or...?" I trailed off, not wanting to pressure him into having to see me. I still wasn't too convinced that these battles were as entertaining for him as he let on. I could only imagine the epic struggles he and his party had been through.

He shook his head. "Nah – I'm done here. Just admiring, is all." He spoke, looking once more at the stones before we left.

On our way there, I couldn't help but let the thought of those evolutionary stones set themselves in my mind. I wonder... Did Vulpix want ever to evolve? I wouldn't do it anytime soon, of coarse; it still needed to learn some moves before going on to evolve... I'd just heard that some Pokemon didn't like evolving and Vulpix, being as stereotypically stubborn as it was, seemed like the type to do such.

I wasn't really paying attention to where I was going; merely following Steven's lead when I heard a familiar voice from not too far in front of us. Curiously, I looked up to see Wally arguing with an older man.

My footsteps being loud against the walkway, Wally soon spotted me and walked over to me with a smile. "Oh, hey Alice!" He greeted. He soon went on to notice the figure behind me, though. "... Is that Steven Stone, Alice?" He asked, seeming bewildered.

I smiled, "Yes it is." I spoke, wanting to avoid the 'blow up doll' incident. "Him and I... We're just tagging along for a while, is all." I spoke to clear things up, even before anyone could go and assume anything.

Steven stepped forwards, a hand out to shake Wally's. "I'm Steven. It's great to meet you." He spoke, sounding confident and smooth, as usual.

Wally shook his hand, clearly overjoyed. "And I'm wally!" He spoke, clearly exicted. However, Wally quickly went on to turn to me; dismissing Steven at a record breaking speed. Maybe it was just the girls that fawned over him so much...?

"So, are you here to challenge the leader?" He asked, looking at the large gym before us.

I smiled. "Well yes, actually." I spoke. Absol went out and agreed with me, speaking its own name.

"Well then," Started Wally. "How about you and I battle? I want to prove to my uncle that I can do this!" He exclaimed, taking out a Pokeball. I was somewhat astounded by this; he'd gone and become more confident in getting here, and quickly, too.

I smiled. "Well, sure. I'll use Vulpix, seeing my other two Pokemon are Dark types and the other is a Kirlia." I spoke. I didn't want to pull a win over a trainer like him with such an advantage; I'd feel horrible for doing so.

With that, we stood across from each other and sent out out Pokemon. Wally's Ralts let out a cute cry, spreading out its arm as though ecstatic. Vulpix simply spoke its own name, while getting ready to fight.

At once, I began. "Alright, now! Use Ember!" I shouted, wanting to see how far he'd gotten, first.

The Fox Pokemon before me let out a cry as it began to send small fireballs from its mouth towards Ralts.

"Quick! Use Confusion to send them back!" Countered Wally.

His small Emotion Pokemon brought the attack to a complete halt before it could land a hit and then made a pushing gesture; sending the attack back with more speed than they'd come at it with.

"Now! While its concentrated on its attack, use Quick Attack!" I ordered. I inwardly grinned, realizing this to be a good situation for me to learn to use physical attacks effectively.

Vulpix, aware of the fact that the fires nearing it would do no harm, rushed right through them in a quick paced fervor and slammed itself into the small Physic type. Ralts went and flew a few feet and landed on the soft grass, where it got back up, more confidence apparent than before. I admired that; it getting back up so quickly. I didn't even remember mine being that feisty.

"Now! Use Ember to finish it!" I spoke, ready to end the battle.

However, just as the attacks were about to land, Wally shouted a move to his Ralts. "Use Teleport, then hit it with Confusion!" He shouted, with intense determination, void of worry.

Before I could blink, the Pokemon varnished; reappearing to Vulpix's side where it let out a psychic blast which went on to send Vulpix flying, much like the Quick Attack had attacked Ralts with earlier.

I clenched my teeth. "Alright! Time for the big guns! Use Heat Wave!" I ordered. It looked like I had slightly underestimated Wally.

Vulpix got up and took in a deep breath, letting loose a flurry of flame and heated winds at the Small Emotion Pokemon.

"Quick! Send it off with Confusion!" Repeated Wally.

As the blast neared Ralts, it used Confusion to send it upwards, but with some difficulty, as judging by its voice. An ember was one thing, but this – this was far more powerful, and Vulpix just kept on belting out flames. The two Pokemon fought for control for some time; increasing the intensity of the flames and the amount of concentration in the psychic attack until one finally gave out.

Ralts let out a loud cry as the Heat Wave it'd been redirecting went in to ram into it, no longer redirected. It went flying into the side of the gym, letting out a small cry as it hit the wall, falling down.

I was glad that this time – I hadn't burnt the wall. The interior – well, you expected that. The exterior however... I was sure the leader would me mad if anything had happened.

Wally, with a sullen expression brought Ralts back to its ball. "Alright, it looks like I'm not ready for a leader yet, after all..." He spoke.

I walked up to him with a smile. "You gave us a hard time, though. Get a few more Pokemon together and raise their levels and, who knows... You might be pulling a win over me." I encouraged. It wasn't like it was false, though. He wasn't doing too poorly.

He looked up, a smile on his face. "You mean that?" He asked.

I nodded. "Yes. Definitely." I spoke.

His uncle, who remained in the background the entire time finally spoke up, walking up to me with a smile. "You're the one who helped Wally catch Ralts, aren't you?" He asked, curious. I nodded in response. "Well then. You two should stop on by Verdanturf sometime! We'd be glad to have you there." He welcomed.

I smiled. "I might have to take you up on that offer sometime." I spoke.

With that, the two began to walk away. "Bye Alice!" Shouted Waly, walking off into the distance.

"Well, I'm glad to see that you're able to got past Psychic types. That's not an easy feat." Spoke Steven, coming to my side.

I leaned down to my knees and took a Super Potion out of my bag, carefully going on and spraying it on the small Fox Pokemon's wounds. It cried out, stinging a bit, but I quietly hushed it, assuring it everything would be alright. While doing this, I replied "Well, it was a bit of a mental challenge, figuring out how to get around it... But I suppose using it all the time helps you figure that out." I spoke, smiling a bit. I _was_ pretty guilty, always using Dustox's and Kirlia's Confusion... Though I was down one of the two.

I got up, Vulpix having sprung back to life; standing my by side with a rare, pleased expression. "Well, maybe we should head on in now?" I gestured, opening the door and walking inside. Steven followed.

I was only a couple feet when all of a sudden, a balding man with a thick mustache wearing baggy, pocked yellow pants with a brown aviators jacket and a yellow shirt underneath walked out from the side of the room. He grinned happily. "Girl! That was some fight you put up out there!" He complimented, taking my hand eagerly and shaking it. "I'm Wattson; leader of the Mauville City Gym!" He spoke.

I couldn't help but smile in the presence of the jovial man, in spite of being slightly creeped out that he had seen the entire spectacle without me noticing him. "I'm I'm Alice Maple, here to challenge you." I spoke happily, with confidence.

"Ah! Norman's kid, are you?" He asked, walking over to his side of the gym, which was nothing really; just a plain arena. "Well then, I'm expecting great things from you! Especially with Mr. Stone there with you!" He spoke, noticing Steven in back. "Now! Larry, mind being the referee?" He asked, a man in the corner coming to the sidelines.

"Magneton! Time to shock some senses into these young things!" He shouted, enthusiastically sending a Pokeball into the air, popping open to reveal the Magnet Pokemon.

"Well seeing this... Vulpix, you're up." I spoke. Then, Vulpix, who'd stood by my side came onto the field, readying itself for battle.

The referee, seeing everyone ready then spoke. "The battle between leader and challenger will now begin! Both sides will use three Pokemon each, and the battle is over when all three of one side's Pokemon are unable to battle! In addition, only the challenger is allowed to substitute Pokemon!" He finished, waving his flags to signal the start.

"Alright! Let's get things going with Shock Wave!" He started.

Knowing that the attack was one to hardly miss, I decided to block, rather than dodge. "Alright! Let's send it away with a Heat Wave, shall we?" I began.

Both Pokemon simultaneously fired their respective attacks at one and other; a small explosion bursting out in the center of the gym when the two attacks hit. Vulpix and Magneton eyed each other carefully... Though, with Magnetons eyes... One could never really tell.

"Alright, now! Use Ember!" I ordered, pointing at Magneton.

"Use Sonicboom!"

At once, the two attacks clashed with each other in midair like the last, creating an even smaller explosion, though Magneton went on using the attack, hitting Vulpix and sending it to the ground. With fiery determination, however, Vulpix got back up, though the damage done was apparent. I should have expected no less from a Pokemon as strong as this.

I clenched my teeth – Magneton was more than a match with us right now in terms of power. I'd have to resort to tricks and stratagy. "Alright! Heat Wave, once more!" I commanded, pointing at the Magnet Pokemon, determined.

Vulpix sent forth a blast of intensely hot air and scorching fires towards the Magneton. Then, however, I quietly muttered with a coy smile so that only my Fox Pokemon could hear. "Now stop and send another blast."

"Counter with Shock Wave!" Shouted Wattson.

The Electric Pokemon sizzled before sending a blast of electricity out way, meeting with the attack and exploding on contact like it had before. However, from within the smoke came another blast on fire, hitting the Magneton head on.

As it fell, it said its own name in a strained tone, crackling with electricity before going and using Shock Wave. The result was explosive, sending Vulpix back as well, and taking out the Magnet Pokemon. It was almost sort of entertaining; watching it pretty much explode and then fall to the ground with such a large 'thud'.

Magneton having lost; the referee spoke up. "Magneton is unable to battle! The victory goes to Vulpix!" They declared.

Wattson laughed happily, bringing Magneton back to its ball. "Well done! That was something out there, Magneton!" He congratulated, putting its ball away as he took out another.

"Alright! Let's see how you do up against Electrike!" He began, throwing a ball into the air, revealing a small, green, dog-like Pokémon with yellow markings. It had a small pointed yellow-tipped tail, and its hind legs had spikes on the heels. Its forelegs and chin also had spiky extensions, but their most distinctive feature would have to have been their large head crest, which has angular lightning-like patterning on the sides, with a continuation of the yellow coloration down their snout.

The single Sonicboom with the energy from the explosion hitting it seeming to have done a fair share on Vulpix. This being true, I recalled them and congratulated them on their win. Then, having done that, I took out another ball and sent it into the air, where it popped open to reveal Kirlia.

"Alright! Use Shock Wave!" Shouted the energetic man.

Electrike began sizzling with electric energy before discharging it, sending it Kirlia's way.

"Block it with Confusion, then surround it with Double Team!" I ordered.

Kirlia stopped the attack in midair; grounding it by sending in into the gym floor. After doing this, it went and created about a dozen illusionary copies of itself; surrounding Electrike.

"Alright, now use your Will-o-Wisp/Confusion combo!" I exclaimed, making sure to give the Leader little time to bark a counter.

Kirlia, seeming to want to put a new edge on the attack had itself, and all of its copies send forth multitudinous balls of eerie blue fire, which it began to rotate around the Electric Pokemon. The result this time was a funnel of fire, repeatedly doing damage to the Lightning Pokemon.

"Quick! Use Bite!" He interjected.

It took a few moments, but out from the flames came Electrike, its mouth open. It was too small a gap in between the two Pokemon for Kirlia to even think of dodging. The attack, once landed draw Kirlia's attention away from its fiery funnel, which went on to disperse.

"Blast it with Confusion!" I shot.

Kirlia's eyes glowed an eerie red color before Electrike let out a pained yelp, its jaw being yanked opening as it floated into the air. Then, Kirlia steadied its arm and pointed to the the small Electric type as it shouted its own name, sending the small Pokemon up and into the high parts of the wall, where it came crashing back down into the floor. It was out cold.

The referee; Larry spoke up again. "The victory goes to Kirlia!"

Wattson brought his Pokemon back. "Well, you're one of the stronger one's I've faced lately!" He complimented. "Now, let's see you get past my trump card! Go get 'em, Manectric!" He exclaimed, throwing a ball into the air, which went in to reveal a mammal-like Pokémon that resembled a blue dog or wolf. It had a yellow mane on its head, as well as yellow clumps of fur at the top of its hind legs and around its front two feet.

I withdrew Kirlia and took out my third ball. "Alright Absol! Let's show then what you're made of!" I announced, letting the Disaster Pokemon onto the field. It stood there, its paws spread out as it was hunched over; ready to attack.

"Use Thunderbolt!" Commanded Wattson, pointing at Absol.

The Discharge Pokemon muttered its own name as it let lose a bolt of electricity from the yellow fur sticking up on its head.

"Dodge and get in close with Quick Attack and use Razor Wind." I spoke, smiling deviously. If I remembered correctly, Karen had let me know way back when that Absol had a terrifyingly high attack. An attack like this in close range – it would be critical if I landed it.

As I neared, however, Wattson ordered a Thunderbolt. Absol, seeming to have some wits about it went and let loose a Razor Wind ahead of time, countering the attack.

…

Now, I could go on describing the battle, but I would merely be describing a series of attacks launched by both out Pokemon which would either be dodged or countered by the other. So soon as I knew it, the two of us had been parrying blows for about 10 minutes, leading us to where we are now.

Absol and Manectric both panted; winded, to say the least.

Wattson let out a hardy laugh before going and bringing back his Manectric. I looked up at him, surprised by this. Was he going to cheat and send out another, or...?

Wattson spoke, answering my question. "Alright, alright. Even this old coot knows when to throw in the towel." He spoke. "Alice, that was great! I haven't had a battle that intense since I was you're age!" He went on.

Hearing this, Larry went and raised the hand to my side of the gym. "The victory goes to Absol! Alice is the winner!" They declared, seeming to have enjoyed the fight themselves.

I smiled, happy the battle had finally ended, calling back Absol to my side. "Well, I haven't ever had a battle that enduring." I spoke, bringing my hand along Absol's soft coat, drawing from it a content cry. "You were something out there too, Wattson. Don't think you weren't!" I assured him.

He made his way to me, handing to me a badge that was shaped like a coiled wire. I took the badge happily, adding it to the other three on the strap of my bag. "Thank you so much!" I spoke, earnestly happy.

He smiled. "It's my pleasure to award any trainers having beaten me with this badge, and trust me; you did just that!" He spoke. "Now, I want you to have this, too." He spoke, taking out of his aviator jacket's pocket a TM. "Some of us leaders like to hand out TMs on occasion. Just don't go letting anyone know – I don't want to have to give these things out to every trainer out there." He spoke, bringing his index finger to his lips in a gesture for me to keep quiet.

"You really don't have to do this." I spoke, not wanting to impose on the man.

"No, no! Take it." He spoke, taking my hand and placing the disk into it. "In it is Shock Wave! It's a guaranteed hit!" He assured me.

I smiled, and put this into my bag in a small pouch, which also held Rock Tomb. "Well then," I began. "It was amazing battling with you." I spoke, turning around.

The energetic, jovial man waved to me. "Well then, see you around! Come back for a re-match sometime, too!" He spoke, walking into a back room, waving to me before he did.

In leaving the gym, I went to my knees and hugged Absol. "That was a great show, Absol!" I began. "Think we can keep counting on moves like that in future battles?" I asked, eying it with determination.

It spoke its own name, sounding a little more upbeat than usual before gently tackling me to the ground where it proceeded to lick my face; pinning me to the ground with its large paws. A series of giggles escaped my mouth as I tried to get away. To the sidelines wash Steven, who I had once again; laughing hysterically at me.

"Oh, you...! Come on! This isn't fair!" I protested, trying to shake the Dark type off of me. This was _not_ how I wanted to find out about it's monstrous strength.

"I think it likes you." Blurted Steven between his laughter. Why was it that I was always the center of his being so amused?

I eyed him from the ground. "You're lucky Absol has me pinned to the ground!" I threatened.

Though faking bitterness, I was actually pretty happy. Having won my third badge with my first ever traded Pokemon; Absol. I had a feeling that it and I would go on to make a marvelous team.


	16. Chapter 16

Okay guys. I'd like to fill this section up here with a very reasonable and understandable excuse as to why I didn't post yesterday, but... Well, to save you a lot of time, I'll get to the point and skip my rambling.

I just wasn't in the mood for writing yesterday, so I didn't write. Capiche? xD

And, again. I 'd like to thank all of you for reviewing and helping me out along the way. You guys are amazing. :)

* * *

Steven and I, with Vulpix now by my side all walked into Verdanturf Town; its fresh air sweeping by us as a breeze; bringing to us the sweet smell of grass. It wasn't surprising, looking at the town though. It seemed as though there wasn't even a hint of pavement or the like.

I smiled. The town wasn't anything fantastic, but it had a distinct, rustic and cheery charm to it. "Well, why don't we go to the Pokemon Center and go have dinner there?" I suggested, breaking the silence between the two of us. "I mean, while we're there, I can get my Pokemon healed. Plus, I really don't want to intrude on Wally's family for dinner." I went on.

Steven looked over to me. "Oh?" He spoke, having seemed to have come out from deep thought. It took him a moment to actually go and register what I had said, whatever he had on his mind apparently weighing down fairly hard on his consciousness. Then, catching himself off guard, he spoke. "Oh! Yeah, sure." He agreed.

I raised a brow, but decided not to go in an pry into affairs I had no business in. So, Steven and I went on to go to the center, where I went on drooping off my Pokemon, followed by getting myself a plate of fried rice and vegetable stir fry. Steven went on to get the same, in addition to some form of meat. I would eat it, but... I was just never a fan. The taste just didn't do anything for me, was all.

It was quiet between the two of us for some time before Steven finally spoke up. "So, you really should get a Water type for your party. The next gym uses Fire types, and it would really help." He spoke.

I sighed. "Like what?" I asked.

He stopped for a moment, thinking to himself. "Well, there's Corphish, Maril, Staryu, Chinchou..." He stopped, thinking up some more "Lombre, Wingull, Spheal..." He trailed off.

I frowned. "The only once I really like the sounds of is Staryu, but I've heard it can be hard to find." I spoke. "So... I'll take care of it later." I added, not wanting to think about catching on right now.

Steven smiled mischievously, worrying me. "Well, how about tomorrow, we go fishing? I hear the route just above Mauville has a small lake that's great." He offered, though by the way he'd said it, it was more a '_we're going fishing, no questions asked. End of Discussion_' sort of deal.

I huffed out. "Fine. Let's see how many pieces of trash I fish up." I agreed.

He smiled. "Good. Now, are we all done eating?" He asked, noting the small bit of untouched rice left on my plate which sat there, going cold. Steven had _inhaled_ his meal, so he was already done.

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm good." I answered, going on to take my plate to go place it elsewhere. Steven, however, took it just before I could, throwing away the excess food and placing the trays in a pile above the garbage can. When he came back, I eyed him dirtily, getting up from my chair. "I can walk, you know. I'm going to get spoiled if you keep treating me like this." I argued.

He laughed. "You would have done the exact same thing for me." He defended. Then, walking out of the center the looked around the town. "Now... Where did they say there house was...?"

…

I was about ready to mash my head into the mailbox as we walked by it, finally having made out way to Wally's house. We'd gone to about several different houses, asking if anyone knew where Wally lives; a kind, old man finally leading us the right way. One lady was about ready to drag Steven _into_ her house and do lord knows what with him.

Taking a breath, I rapped my knuckles again the door. I smiled in relief as Wally's uncle answered the door, smiling warmly when he saw the two of us. "Alice! Steven! I'm glad you decided to come for a visit!" He exclaimed, guiding us into the house.

At once, the house was alive; Wally's uncle introducing himself as Ben and went on to show us his wife; Margaret. With them lives Wanda; their daughter, and of coarse Wally. Then, there was also Wanda's boyfriend, who was staying over for a couple days. It was a much larger family than I was used to; the most ever being in mine being myself, my mother and my father; with Karen having come over to mooch on occasion.

Steven was quickly swept away by family as I made my way to Wally's room, having been directed by Wanda. At once, I walked in to find him with Ralts, who was levitating various things in his room as seeming practice. When it noticed me, it dropped the majority of the objects. _Thank god none of them were breakable._

He looked up at me and instantly smiled. "Oh, Alice! Hey!" He exclaimed. "You decided to come over, after all." He stated, seeming extremely happy.

I smiled. "I don't like to make promises I can't keep." I explained. "Trust me. If I tell you I'm coming on over sometime, I mean it." I went on.

He smiled. "So... There isn't exactly much to do here right now..." He trailed on, seeming to think of a way to entertain me. "Hey! I know! Let's go see the contest! It's at eight, so if we head out in about an hour and a half..."

I eyed him. "Contest you say?" I asked, a smile expressing my eagerness.

He eyed me with slight confusion. "Well, yeah. I mean, if you don't want to go, that's fine... I just thought..."

I waved my hands around. "No, no! That's not it at all!" I protested, falling silent. "But... Well, can you... Keep a secret for me?" I asked.

He raised an eyebrow. "Well, yeah. I guess." He agreed.

I smiled. "Have you ever heard of a coordinator called 'Red'?" I asked, going through my bag for my mask.

Wally lit up. "Yeah! I saw them on TV a while back!" He explained. "I really liked their style, it actually kind of reminds me of..." He trailed on, having connected a few dots. "You don't mean..." He went off, looking at me in astonishment.

I smiled as I got out the mask and put it before my eyes. "Come on! Let's head on over right now! If anyone asks, we're going early to get good seats." I spoke, taking his hand and leading him from his room. I didn't give him a chance to reply, but judging my his happy expression, he had no qualms about the idea.

Wally and I exited to the open concept, main room of the house, where Steven, Wally's uncle and aunt, cousin and her boyfriend sat, discussing something idly. They looked up at the two of us, wondering what the commotion was about. I smiled innocently as we headed out the door. "Just going to watch the contest! Gotta get there early before all the good seats run out!" I spoke, dragging Wally out from the house as those inside watched, wondering what on earth had just happened.

…

As I put the mask on and exited, I saw Wally waiting patiently. Smiling, I asked. "Why don't you give it a shot? I'm sure that with Confusion, you could pull a nice move off!" I encouraged.

He seemed uneasy of the idea. "Well, you see. I get pretty bad stage fright, too... And it's a little too late to go and and get a mask." He said, laughing a bit.

I frowned. "Well, I could go and and try and push you into it... But..." I trailed off. "I can understand how you feel." I sympathized. "But... Are you sure you're okay with just watching? I mean, you won't get bored?" I asked.

He shook his head. "No, I'll be fine." He assured me. "I'm going to go to the bleachers now. Show 'em trouble!" He encouraged, walking out of the small area and going on. Smiling, I went on the opposite way; into the waiting area filled with coordinators, watching the screen with anticipation. I'd admittedly been talking with Wally for quite some time, but it was fine; considering I was always near last. None of my entries were exactly planned.

Anyways, I'd gone on to plan for this appeal a while ago, having taught Ralts Shock Wave for it. I didn't have to do any last minute planning, either.

Just as that thought crossed my mind, a voice rang out across the building. "And next is Red! Let's hope they live up to their previous appeals and dazzle us with some beautiful moves!" Shouted Vivian.

Hearing this, I walked at a quick pace down the halls of the stadium; running into the stage when I got into the main room. "Take the stage, Kirlia!" I shouted, letting out the Emotion Pokemon, which went and bowed in exiting its ball.

As it rose, I started my appeal. "Alright! Let's heat things up with a nice Will-o-Wisp and Confusion combination!" I started.

Kirlia lifted its hands up above it as though it were almost a dance move, having multitudinous fireballs appear. Then from there, it went on to have the fireballs begin to encircle it like they had before; though this time the fireballs went and totally covered up Kirlia' completely hiding it.

Vivian went on talking in the background, but I had zoned in on the appeal. "Now, end it!" I ordered.

At once, all of the fire went on to crash around it; missing it by mere inches. From this, a giant cloud of smoke surrounded it that went and hid from the audience the fate of my Kirlia.

Having left the crowd to debate whether or not the appeal had failed long enough, I moved on. "Now, let's use that Shock Wave!"

At once, a cry could be heard from Kirlia as it belted out waves of powerful electricity which went on to dispel the accumulated smoke which went traveling to the far edges of the arena where they went on to fade.

After having done this, the both of us bowed before letting Vivian speak. "A mysterious appeal which goes on to show off Kirlia's strength! Folks, let's give them a hand!" She exclaimed.

The judged, having tallied up their scores went on to submit them; the total appearing on the board above me. A 25.5 – not bad at all.

This having been accomplished, I smiled happily as I exited the stage.

In walking into the waiting room, I saw Wally in a corner, grinning madly. Apparently he decided _not_ to go to the bleachers. "Alice! That was amazing! The way you kept me on edge... The letting out that powerful Shock Wave. It was great!" He exclaimed.

"Well, I hope the judges feel the same way. That wasn't my best appeal ever." I spoke, recalling the score. It was likely for the repeat of my Confusion/Will-o-Wisp combination, bit regardless – the appeal still went over fairly well.

So, Wally and I went on chatting for a while longer about appeals and whatnot, sharing our opinions on various techniques. There were quite a few coordinators who were fairly good here, though I suppose I just got lucky, having run into fairly new contestants myself when I'd won my first few ribbons. Regardless, I couldn't help but feel a little bit better, seeing that this Robert fellow hadn't shown up.

After a while more, the camera finally zoned in on Vivian; the attention of everyone in the building on her. "Now it's the time everyone's been waiting for! Here are the trainers advancing onto the final round!" She exclaimed; the screen going black as it began to list off those moving on, one by one.

I watched anxiously as the screen went on and on, my nerves beginning to go into overdrive as the first few were listed. "Come on..." I whispered to myself, watching as the fifth was listed, followed by the sixth...

Then, as though some higher force had for once, taken pity on me, my face appeared on screen in seventh place. I let out a deep sigh of relief in seeing that. "I swear; they place me down there just to scare me." I muttered.

Wally laughed. "Come on, lighten up! You got to the second round!" He cheered.

I smiled. "Well, I suppose that is something to celebrate now, isn't it...?" I asked, smiling at his enthusiasm as I saw the battle map.

…

The first two trainers I'd battled had been pretty easy to beat. However, I felt that the next one might be a little different.

I walked onto the stage with Kirlia's ball in hand. On the other side of the arena was a trainer wearing a black, low cut shirt stopping right above their bellybutton, reveal a well toned abdomen with a rose tattoo around the left hit. Below that they wore a pair of tight fitted jeans and a pair of sandals. They had pink, styled hair which was in a sort of half updo and, from looking at the screen earlier, I could tell they had green eyes. They looked easy to beat... But having cleared the other two rounds proved me wrong.

Vivian went on, explaining the rules like she had the other battle, but I paid little attention to the, eying the girl across from me carefully. She seemed very confident, but not overbearingly so, smiling a bit in anticipation with a ball in hand.

At once, Vivian called "Go!"

"Alright! Take the stage, Kirlia!" I announced, Kirlia appearing on the stage; awaiting its foe gracefully.

The other trainer threw her ball into the field. "Mawile! Let's get things going!" She shouted, letting out a short yellow and black Pokemon. Their legs had yellow coverings that give the appearance of a dress or bell-bottom pants, and their feet and arms were black. Their most prominent feature, though, was a pair of huge, black, toothy, jaw-like horns with a yellow spot on its surface that grew from the backs of their heads. It also had drooping black extensions from the sides of its head which can be presumed to be ears and red eyes.

The girl across from me started first, seeming as confident as ever. "Alright! Fire Blast!" She commanded.

Wasting no time in fear the attack may be to powerful, I reacted quickly. "Quick! Dodge the attack and send it back!" I called. I could have kept Kirlia there, yes... But something in my gut told me that this girl was more than she let on.

Kirlia jumped into the air, landing feet away where it was and then went on to take control of the fire, though having great difficulty doing so; as judging by the stream of flames having gone over where she had stood seconds before. Regardless, the attack went on back to Mawile. It let out a pained cry, but managed to stay up on its feet through the attack.

I smiled. "Impressive... But, let's see you handle this, now." I spoke. "Kirlia, send it a Shock Wave." I called out.

Kirlia held a hand out, sending a blast of electricity from it which went on towards Mawile with intense speed.

However, the trainer before me was fast, as well. "Use Ice Beam to counter! Then, use Shadow Ball!" She ordered. It seemed as though she had been pretty busy teaching her Mawile TM moves.

Our Shock Wave was easily countered by the icy attack. Then to top things off, a black ball with blue sparks around it was quickly hurdled at Kirlia, sending it into a nearby wall.

I looked back at Kirlia, worry evident about my expression. "Kirlia! Are you okay?" I asked.

It stood up, seeming fairly tough for such a brittle looking Pokemon. I sighed in relief, then went on to quickly think up of an attack to bring this metal monster down. At once, I decided our oldest, and must trusted attack might work. "Alright! Fill the arena with Will-o-Wisp!" I spoke.

Kirlia went on to bring its arms out, having dozens of ghastly, blue flames appear throughout the air. Then, already knowing what to do from so many other battle's experiences, it went on to form a typhoon of fire around the Deceiver Pokemon. It let out a pained cry once more.

its trainer, no longer as confident as they had been quickly blurted its next attack as a last ditch effort. "Now! Use Ice Beam!" They shot, having seemed to have run short of moves usable in this situation.

Out, from the fire came an Icy Beam, missing Kirlia by a long shot, but nearly hitting me _and_ Vivian because if its obscured vision. It went on to use the beam, quickly making its way from the floor to the stadium's wall and racing up to the ceiling, where it went on to accidentally freeze a few lights which went on to fall down; one ironically landing right on top of the Steel Pokemon.

This having been done, I heard a computerized 'bing' sound, and looked up at the board to see I'd depleted the girl of points in about four minutes; 55 seconds remaining frozen on the scoreboard.

I smiled at Kirlia, who made its way to me; clearly overjoyed to have made up for last time's loss. I picked it up and held it in one arm as I made my way over to the wreckage, to which the girl, and a few members of the clean up crew were having a hard time cleaning.

I smiled down at Kirlia. "I think the least we can do for them is move this out of the way." I spoke to Kirlia. It nodded enthusiastically, taking control of the broken stage light and placing it down a couple feet away. The Steel type Pokemon laid; unconscious, but generally unharmed because of its tough body on the stage floor.

"Well folks!" Started Vivian, seeming a little shaken up; a piece of her dress and the tiniest part of her hair having actually been frozen. I couldn't help bit giggle a little. Continuing, she spoke. "It looks like Alice is the winner!"

…

I walked through the dark roads of Verdanturf town with Wally, who couldn't seem to stop taking about the contest. I was honestly a tiny bit embarrassed about how cool he seemed to think I was. I mean, sure – I had a few ribbons, but I was _me_, not some super, top notch, snooty coordinator. I was likely the last one anyone would expect to be participating in these events.

Still, I couldn't help but go and open up a small case I had for my ribbons and admire the two I had inside. Not bad at all for having only entered three contests.

Just as we neared the door, however, I put the case away and turned to Wally. "Now remember, we just watched. Kay?" I asked.

He smiled and nodded. "Don't worry. My lips are sealed." He promised.

Smiling, we both entered the house to find that the family had since stopped chatting, and were now all watching a documentary of some sorts on the movements of the criminal syndicate, Team Rocket. Judging my their silence, they all seemed to have gotten really into it.

Margaret looked up first. "Oh, hey! How was the contest?" She asked,

Wally laughed. "Actually, it was pretty good. Some of the performances there were amazing." He spoke, smiling. I smiled, too, a bit overwhelmed as to all the attention he was giving me. I'd have to get him to enter one day.

Wanda looked up at us as she laid over her boyfriends lap. "Oh? Did you catch the name of the person who won?" She asked. "I like to participate every once in a while, and it might be nice to know why they are, in case I run up against them." She explained.

He smiled. "Yeah, actually. Some coordinator calling themselves Red." He spoke. "They seem pretty good though, so you might have a hard time beating them." He spoke.

…

So, as the night went on, we all watched some movies, eventually deciding it was time to call it a night at 1:30AM. Unfortunately, there was only one bed left; a fold out in the living room. There had reportedly been another one earlier today, but it had been broken by Wanda and her boyfriend. I had stopped asking questions _right_ about there.

I eyed Steven stubbornly, sitting in an arm chair. "No! I'm perfectly fine sleeping in the armchair! I've fallen asleep in the one back home watching TV dozens of times before. I can do it again!" I argued.

"Come on! You're going to regret sleeping in there. You'll be so sore tomorrow you won't even want to think about moving out of there." He protested.

At once, Wanda, who's almost finished getting to bed came into the same room. "Bloody hell, you two! Why don't you both sleep in it? I mean, it's not like you're going to be doing anything. After all, my parents are light sleepers. If you try, well. Have fun getting walked in on." She spoke, initially seeming somewhat fed up, but letting a smile crawl onto her face as she went on. By the time she'd walked away, she was quietly laughing to herself.

I was going to protest when I looked at Steven, twiddling my thumbs. "Well – if you're up to it... I mean..." I trailed off, blushing madly. I didn't want to go and make it seem like I _wanted _to... Even though the thought made my heart skip a beat.

I could see a shade of red on his face as well as he turned away awkwardly. "I suppose..." He spoke. "I mean, there _is_ enough room for both." He trailed off. One may have stereotypically assumed a man like him to have already gone way past this level... It was kind of sweet, seeing he hadn't... Or, at least his timidness in this entire event lead me to think so.

Shaking the though, I grinned madly; deciding to make fun of the situation. "Oh~! What luck I have! Going to bed with Steven Stone! Champion of Hoenn!" I swooned. "While we're at it..." I trailed off for dramatic effect. "Want to sign my breast?" I teased, pulling down my shirt just a smidgen and pointing with my free hand in the general vicinity.

He let out a snort. "God, Alice. You're never going to let me live that down, are you?" He asked, getting into the bed, though seeming to edge himself towards the end. It was adorable, seeing how modest he was for a man of his status.

"If I have anything to say about it, you're going to remember that until the day you die. Especially for having to put of with the daggers that girl and her little posse gave me." I teased, getting into the bed, though making sure to distance myself a bit from him. I had an awful habit of waking up in the morning while hugging an oversized Gengar plushy I had. I'd shoot myself if I woke up doing the same to him.

He laughed. "That isn't fair! I don't have anything to tease you about!" He whined.

I smiled mischievously, in spite of his being unable to see it; him facing one way, while I did the other. "Yeah, well. Let's keep it that way." I spoke, shifting a bit to get comfortable I went on and paused for a moment before speaking once more. "Hey, Steven... Are you a blanket hog?" I asked.

As though he were already falling asleep, it took him a while to respond. "No. Why?"

I let out a light chuckle. "Good. 'Cause I am."

I fell asleep, unable to wait for the call I'd make to Melissa tomorrow. I could only imaging the response I'd get from her when I'd go and blurt out 'I slept with Steven Stone.'

I smiled. _She'd freak._

_

* * *

_

Just a little note to the side... I just onyl figured out you delete the document after attaching it to a chapter. I sat there with an 'o noes' fave for about 20 minutes, panicking as to what I should do. I figured everything out, though.

Hope you enjoyed!


	17. Chapter 17

Here's chapter 17. For once, I don't think I really have much to say; a rarity, really. I just ask they you keep on reviewing! Thanks a bunch for reviewing the last chapters!

* * *

My eyes fluttered open, letting me see the beginning of what looked like was going to be a beautiful sunrise; my head facing to a window. I raised a brow, looking at the clock to find that it was only about 7:30AM, which made sense, seeing that everyone else was still in bed. I was usually an early riser a home as well, so long as I actually got to bed at a half decent time.

I made a lazy movement to edge myself towards the bed when I stopped; feeling something around my stomach.

Turning my head around, I saw Steven to my back; his arms wrapped around my waist as he slept ever so peacefully. I smiled, not knowing what I should even begin to do. Laugh, try to escape, wait for him to wake up?

… _Cuddle back...?_

Shaking the though from my head, I looked down at my waist, happy to see he hadn't intertwined his arms too intricately around me. From here, I went on to slowly pry off the arm over from on top of me, placing it as gently as I could next to him, while going on slowly get up, careful not to shake the bed too much. I was sure he wasn't too much a light sleeper; having dealt with Vulpix, who I recently found snored. Myself... I occasionally went on to sleep talk, which sucked, because you can apparently ask someone sleep talking any question, and they'll reportedly answer honestly.

The operation having been a success, I went and climbed off the the bed and stood on the floor, seeing in a nearby mirror that I looked like a mess; especially my hair. This was punishment for not placing it in a ponytail the night before, I suppose.

Going to my bag, I found my clothes and a few supplies, making my way to the washroom. I went onto undress; placing my own shampoos on the little shelves and an odd cinnamon scented body wash I'd been using that my mother had bought me a while back.

Turning on the water, the shower started to pour water, and I hopped in, quickly cleaning myself off. I couldn't help but smile though, thinking about Steven having wrapped his hands around me in his sleep. Thinking about it, he was so warm while his grip was firm; but not tight. His chest against my back, it almost hurt to yank myself away from him...

At that moment, I officially resigned myself from having had resisted his charm and added myself to the plentiful list of girl having fallen for him head over heels. I'd known if for some time, but... It only seemed as though it got worse as I went on.

I could only hope this would blow over like my crush for Will had. What was it with me falling for guys in the Pokemon League?

Having finished my shower quickly to avoid draining their tank and perhaps keeping anyone from using the washroom, I exited the shower stall and dried myself and my hair, while going about my morning routine at a hurried pace.

In getting out from the washroom, I saw Steven just getting up. I was going to go on and tease him about having done what he did last night... But I decided against it. I'd gone on poking enough fun at him last night about the fangirl incident in Slateport. I think he'd die a little inside if I told him that.

I walked over, my mood being a surprisingly good one. "Morning." I spoke, my voice upbeat. "So, did you have a good sleep?" I asked.

He winced as he looked up at me. "Hm...? Oh, yeah... I didn't wake up once." He stated, yawning.

I felt both a sense of relief and a tad bit of silly disappointment. It was nice to know that he hadn't purposely gone and wrapped himself around me, but... It brought be a silly feeling of disappointment, knowing that he hadn't done it on purpose. I was beginning to regret having never really gone dating before – its now having gone on and detriment my judgment in the field.

Steven, seeming to have brought his mind from unconsciousness spoke with more clarity than before. "Well, what about you? Sleep well?" He asked.

A small smile curled onto my lips. "Oh, I woke up once or twice." I explained. "But, that's only because I'm still getting used to sleeping in different beds than my own. I had a memory foam mattress back at home." I went on. That thing was amazing – I only just realized how much I missed such a silly thing.

Just then, Margaret game from her room, seeming almost supernaturally energetic. "Oh, hi! You two are already up now?" She asked.

I smiled. "I've been up for a while now. I... I hope you don't mind that I used the shower. I looked like I'd just gone and gotten into a fight with guy's Pokemon over there." I spoke, pointing to Steven. "Especially my hair! This, evil, conniving..." I trailed off, holding a piece of wet, crimson colored hair in my hand when Steve spoke.

"Oh come on, it doesn't look that bad. I really like the color red." He spoke, smiling at me.

I blushed a little, looking away as I played with the wet strand of hair in my hand.

Margaret smiled. "Nah! I don't mind a bit." She spoke. "Now, would you two like some breakfast?" She asked. "The others are probably going to sleep 'till about noon, so I'll cook you two up something quick, how about?" She asked.

"I don't want to be any trouble, I mean..."

She waved her hand. "No! It's no trouble at all! I'm am early riser, but I never have anything to do in the morning. Let an old coot do something with her day." She spoke. "Now, what'll it be?" She asked.

"Oh, oh... I'm not sure..." I spoke. "Steven...?" I asked, looking down at him.

"Something simply like scrambled eggs and toast is fine." He spoke.

I smiled, nodded. "Yeah. I'll take the same thing, I guess." I agreed, wanting to make things easy for Margaret.

She nodded. "Alright! Just give me a few minutes and I'll have that ready!" She spoke, enthusiasm riddling her voice. "And anything to drink? Juice, tea, coffee...?" She trailed on.

"I smiled. If tea isn't anything too much to ask..."

Steven chimed in. "Sure, I guess I'll get what she's getting." He added.

The middle aged woman got to work, bustling about the kitchen as she threw together breakfast. I was thinking about starting a conversation, just as my Pokenav rang, surprising me. I'd almost forgotten I had it.

Checking to see who it was, I saw the caller was Melissa. Cringing, I turned down the volume before answering. "Hello, Melissa." I spoke. I mentally braced myself for whatever she had to throw my way. Conversations with this girl could go _anywhere_.

"Bah! I was hoping to surprise you while you were sleeping!" She exclaimed. "Go back to bed so we can try this again!" She demanded.

I chucked at her immaturity. "Sorry. From what I hear, I have a great breakfast on the way, and I'm not about to let the human vacuum get to it before I do." I spoke, looking over at Steven.

He pouted. "Am not! You just don't eat much!" He retorted.

"Oh~ Does Alice have a b-o-y-f-r-i-e-n-d...?" Teased Melissa on the other end.

I flushed red. "No! Me and Steven are just traveling together right now!" I spoke. "Trust me, you'd be the first I'd tell if I had a boyfriend." I stated, pouting. The most dating I'd ever done was with those pieces of trash Melissa set me up with that figured Alice cane as desert after they paid for the meal.

"Fine, fine!" She spoke dismissively. "Anyways, how are you? We haven't talked in days! I miss you!" She cooed.

I sighed. "I'm good. Steven's assured me that I'm going fishing with him today, though. No if, ands or buts." I went on. "H tells me I need to catch a water type, or I won't beat the next leader." I went on.

"Ah! So, how many badges do you have now?" She asked. "Last time... I think you were at one...?" She spoke.

I laughed. "Well, I've tripled that since." I spoke.

I heard her screech. "Alice! Way to go!" She cheered on. "If you keep this up, Norman's going to have you trampling him in to time!" She cheered.

"We'll see about that, I suppose." I spoke. Beating the other leaders was one thing... But my father? I knew he was tough. The thought of battling him and _winning_ were hard to imagine.

"What do you mean, _you suppose?_" She asked. "I'm betting that you have some pretty kick ass Pokemon now!"

I smiled. "Well, I have a Vulpix, my Kirlia, an Absol and of coarse, Sableye." I spoke, praying that Karen wasn't one again in the background. If she knew I had _two_ dark types, she'd personally come over here, slaughter me and take them.

"Gah! I love Vulpix, you lucky thing, you!" She explained. "They're pretty, red fur, fluffy tails, big eyes... Those ears, too..." She drawled on.

I giggled. "Well, mine's a little special, you see. its fur is yellow. Nor red." I explained. "I got them after some ridiculous lady in in black with red wrist and leg warmers. They wore an odd, red over shirt cut off halfway and had a hood with black horns. They looked so weird." I spoke. "Anyways, they ended up ditching it after it lost in a match, so I took it in as my first." I finished.

"Gah! Why do you have all the luck!" She asked.

I narrowed my eyes, in spite of her being unable to see it. "Alice and luck? Psh! Get your brain checked out." I retorted. But then again... I didn't exactly have to work too hard to catch my current party... I _suppose_ that was pretty lucky.

"Bah! Figures you ruin a moment with that sharp tongue of yours!" She scolded. "Anyways, I have to go now. I told my mom I'd be home at eight. Last night" She admitted. "Talk to you later?" She asked.

I grinned at her. I'd only hoped she hadn't spent that time at a guys house doing, well... _You know_... "You bet." I assured her.

With that, I heard her hand up. I did the same, just as a plate of steaming eggs and two pieces of toast was placed before me, as well as a cut of fresh tea.

I looked up the the kind lady having made the meal for Steven and I. "Thank you so much!" I exclaimed, eagerly picking up my fork and taking in a mouthful of eggs. They were delicious. This lady had talent, making a simply serving of eggs taste so good.

She smiled. "Oh, no problem. Let's just hope I'm not waiting around till one for those lazy things in their rooms to get up." She spoke, gesturing at the doors to her family's rooms.

Steven and I laughed, going on to eat our breakfasts while holding a light conversation. Quite the accomplishment, considering he hardly ever stopped shoveling food into his mouth. I wasn't any more innocent myself, but it was fun to poke fun at him for it, anyways."

…

By the time Steven and I had gotten out of the house, through Route 117 and to Mauville, eventually getting to Route 111; it was about 12:30PM. On the way to the lake, however, we'd gone by a large house. We thought nothing of it and went on by when a man by the name of Victor came on running out, challenging me. He'd gone and battled me with a Taillow and a Zigzagoon, to which I'd easily beaten.

However, this was not the end. He went running back into his house, his wife Victoria coming out shortly after and battling me with a Roselia. That wasn't hard, either. From there, however, a girl came out with a Marill, Shroomish and a Numel. They successfully took out poor Sableye, but I sent them running with their tail between their legs after I beat them with Absol.

The young girl; no older than eight ran into the house in tears. I felt bad for having had made her cry, but... _A battle was a battle_. I wasn't about to lose.

I smiled, reminding myself of a younger version of me. My father had been the same way when I was a kid. I'd often go and play checkers with him, but, I'd lose all the time. I'd later ask him why he never let me win and he'd explained to be that he didn't want me to expect things like that from others, or go on to assume I was exceptionally good if I wasn't. It was disheartening as a small child, but I was thankful for it now.

Just then, a short, elderly woman wearing a pink dress with her hair in a bun came out from the house. "Why you! I'll show you, making my daughter cry!" She scolded, throwing out a ball to reveal a Meditite.

Void of patience, I kept Absol out. I was going to end this _quickly_. That shouldn't be to hard, using a Dark type with such a high attack. "Alright! Use Razor Wind!" I commanded.

Absol obediently ran forwards at a fast pace, going and shooting a white crescent blade of energy at the opponent from the large blade-like growth coming from its head.

"Use Confusion to send it back!" Ordered the old woman.

I sighed. In anyone knew about the 'send it back with Confusion' strategy, it was me. "Now, while it's concentrating on that. Send a few more." I explained. _I didn't __even__ want to go fishing. Having to battle to get there was a real pain._

At once, Absol swung the blade on its head rhythmically, sending five or so blasts at the Meditate Pokemon, drawing from it a pained cry as it flew to the ground, defeated.

The old woman brought the Pokemon back. I looked at her pleadingly. "Please, please **please**! Tell me you're the last!" I begged.

The old woman laughed. "Yes, yes. You're finished. And what a grand finish it was!" She exclaimed, walking up to me and shaking my hand."I'm Vicki Winstrate. You've already met my Son; Victor and my daughter inlaw; Victoria, and finally my granddaughter, Vivi." She spoke.

I sighed. "I'm Alice Maple." I spoke, my anger diminishing.

"Well Alice! I take it, that going this way you were on your way to that small lake back there?" She asked, gesturing to the clean looking body of water.

I smiled. "Well yes, actually. I need to catch a Water type for my next gym battle, and my friend here said this was the place." I explained, gesturing back to Steven, who held two fishing rods. I'd forced him to carry them, seeing that I was unwilling victim of his urge to fish today. _He wanted to be a gentleman? Well, let him be one, then!_

The old lady smiled. "Well, child! Spend the day out there then! We have a couple extra rooms, so if you need a place to stay, come on in! We love company!" She invited.

"Oh! I wouldn't want to impose on you, I mean..."

The lady walked up to me, elbowing me in the ribs. "And with a looker like that back there, I doubt the two of you'll be taking both rooms." She suggested. "Am I right, or am I right?" She asked, smiling deviously. My grandmother would be furious at the idea, and here this lady was, suggesting it.

"Ah, no! Steven and I... Never...!" I couldn't place my words together properly, the blush on my face becoming more apparent as I went on protesting.

Her eyes widened. "Steven, you say? _The_ Steven Stone...?" She asked.

Steven took this as a good moment to come in and introduce himself, putting the rods down and shaking the lady's hands. "_The_ Steven Stone." He assured her, shaking the woman's hand.

"Ah! It's an honor to have you here!" She spoke.

He laughed. "It's nice to be here." He spoke. It was funny, how charming he was. Just introducing himself... If felt as though you were meeting prince charming...

She went on to eye him. "Alright, alright. Now – let me ask you this." She started, getting down to business. "Have you heard of a boy called Vito? He left on his journey a while ago, and we're thinking he'd gotten pretty far." She explained.

Steven grinned. "Yes, actually. He's come around a couple times, challenging the Elite Four. The first few times, he couldn't even get past Sydney, the first... But now, he's starting to give Glacia, out third member a hard time." He spoke.

The spry old lady grinned. "That's Vito for you! You watch out, too! The boy's determined, and you may be facing him one day!" She spoke before retreating to her house, chuckling a bit to herself.

I smiled. It was nice to see her have such faith in someone.

…

I sat at the edge of a large lake, under a shaded tree with a rod in hand as I lazily went and fished for any Pokemon idiotic enough to go and grab onto the lure.

So far, I'd fished up an old boot, a binder, a piece of a log and half of a porno magazine. _Not quite my idea of a good days catch_. The only Pokemon I'd ever caught was **Gyarados** back on a fishing trip with my father years back. I'd been sitting there with a little kitty rod when I felt a tugging. My father helped me pull the thing up when he saw me having a hard time.

And there it was. A Gyarados. _I was so close to peeing my pants_. I was lucky it was rather weak for its kind, seeing that my father had taken it down with relative ease using his Slaking.

The, Steven... The ass. He's already caught two Seaking, a Marill, a Barboach _and_ a Chinchou; releasing them all. It was only 3:00PM.

I let out a huff in frustration, reeling the line I'd just cast out and putting down my rod. I got up; nearly falling down when I found my leg to be asleep. At least I'd learned from this entire rotten experience that I was never going to be a professional fisher.

Steven looked up at me. "Hm, is something wrong?" He asked, seeing innocent to a fault.

I eyed him dirtily. "I'm going to go walk down the beach and see if I can find a Pokemon there. I really don't feel like finding the other half to that magazine I fished up earlier." I explained; the other half seeming to have fallen off somewhere in the lake.

He looked at me, laughing a bit. "Oh, come on! You're not doing _that _badly." He explained, laughing at at the incident once more. "I mean, everyone had bad luck sometimes." He continued.

I eyed him. "Steven, the only living thing I ever caught was a _Gyarados._ With my luck, that's exactly what I'll end up snagging again, and if that happened, I'd be ready to ball." I spoke. "I caught one when I was 7 on my rod, and I don't intend on it happening again." I finished, making my way down the beach.

…

Sableye eyed the lake, which swept into the beach, and back out into the lake with more curiosity and amazement that I could have ever thought possible. It would run off chasing the wave as though it were never come back, and back up as the water came back in, letting out an odd cry if it was splashed. its expression was unreadable for once, further suggesting the curiosity already evident about it.

I, myself, sat under another tree, a mile or so down from Steven's as I moped; having found a Marill earlier that had ran away; pushing back Sableye with Water Gun and jumping into the water. I didn't like their appearance all that much, but at this point... Even a Gyarados was sounding good. And besides; I saw past the undesirable traits of my other Pokemon. I was sure a Marill, _or_ Gyarados would be livable.

Then, as though some force out there deemed I had not gone through enough this morning, a monstrous wave came from the lake and crashed over me, retreating to leave me soaking wet with Sableye laughing at me; as though further mocking me. It was lucky it was a ghost Pokemon and I couldn't shoot it dead.

Just before I went to _scream_ the foul words running through my head, a sound caught my attention.

A feeble cry from my right. Curious, I turned around to see a somewhat shabby, old-looking fish Pokemon with tattered blue fins and a tall, arch-shaped fin that juts from its back. Its rough-textured body was dotted in several old spots resembling rocks, while its scales, though plain on color gleamed under the sunlight; possibly being the only beautiful feature on it. It had large, gloomy eyes and big lips frozen into a frown as it flopped in the grass.

I raised a brow, taking out my Pokedex, which I now knew to be water proof. Wasn't that a _great_ way to find out it was water resistant – let a wave crash down on it, then pop it open to see if the screen still turned on.

Much to my relief, my Pokedex immediately read the following information. '_Feebas – ridiculed for its shabby appearance, it is ignored by researchers. It lives in ponds choked with weeds._'

I went on to switch from that menu to the level and moveset menu, finding the Pokemon had only succeeded in moving _inches_ from its original spot with all the flailing it had gone about. From there, I went on to learn that it knew Mirror Coat, Splash and Tackle.

I sighed, taking out a Pokeball. With little enthusiasm, I muttered. "Welcome to the team, Feebas."

I then tapped the Pokeball against the flailing Pokemon; drawing into the ball, which went on to shake for a while. Then, as though it were giving up, the ball stopped wriggling.

Happy to have gotten the task at hand over with, I got up, returning Sableye to its ball, who'd gone back to the beach after prodding fun at me. From there on, I trudged back to Steven with a ball in hand, giddy to move on with my life. If I could beat a Geodude with Vulpix, I could bloody well beat a fire type with any other Pokemon. I didn't need a Water Type.

As I neared out fishing post, Steven looked up at me with a relaxed expression. "So, did you find any new Pokemon?" he asked, taking note that I had five Pokeballs, not six.

I smiled, taking out Feebas's ball. "Well, a while back, I saw a Marill on the beach, and..."

He smiled, not letting me finish my sentence. "So you caught a Marill now, did you?' He asked. He seemed genuinely excited for me, almost making me feel bad for the next part.

"No, it sprayed Sableye away and jumped into the water." I spoke with a total lack of enthusiastic. "It got away."

"Well then..." He trailed off, pointing to the ball in my hands. "What do you have there?" He asked.

I smiled deviously. "You asked for a water type, and well. Here it is." I spoke, tossing the ball up, which revealed the flailing Fish Pokemon. It repeatedly spoke its own name as it flailed on the field.

Steven; contrary to my expectations, smiled. "Ah! So, you're going for a Milotic, then?" He asked. "Well then, it looks like you're not as spooky as I thought!" He teased.

I eyed him cluelessly. "A Milo-wha...?" I asked.

Steven laughed. "A Milotic. Look it up in your dex." He spoke. "But seriously, you caught this little guy without knowing what they evolve into? That's _great._" He jabbed, laughing to himself as he continued fishing.

Frustrated to have gotten a reaction to which I was hardly expecting, I took out the dex and typed into it the name 'Milotic'. At once, a Pokemon with a sinuous body which was mostly cream in coloration, with red eyes and three black dots down its neck appeared. The top of its head was long, with a point at the end, and it had long, thin red 'eyebrows' extending from above its eyes and thicker, also having red-colored hair-like fins draping from the sides of the head. Its lower tail was covered with blue and pink scales, with striations of black, and four large scales, blue with red spots in the middle, overlapping at the tip of the tail to look like a fan. It was breathtakingly beautiful.

I looked at Steven. "This... is a beautiful Pokemon." I spoke, surprised to have taken up such an interest in it. I also seemed to remember Robert back in Slateport having one. If I could get one...

"Yeah, but they can be tedious to evolve." He spoke, shattering my hopes like a mirror over pavement. "They only evolve once they've they're become beautiful, or so I've heard." He went on, looking at the small Pokemon.

I sighed, calling it back. "Well, I'll get on that later." I spoke. "Let's just go on, now."

With that, the two of us went on to back our belongings and headed on out, though not before telling the Winstrate family that we'd planned on moving on ahead. They seemed a bit disappointed, but I was sure they'd live with it.

I smiled as we went off, imaging the feeling of having _four_ badges on my bag.

* * *

Guys, I just only realized the pun in the name 'Winstrate' and I've been playing this game since I was like, 13. Also, all of their names, being derived from 'Victor'. I think I should go smash my head against a wall now, yes?

Also, when you're going through your document with spell check, it becomes aggravating very quickly. By the time I'm done this, I'm going to have the entire freaking Hoenn Dex added to my dictionary, I swear...

Regardless of this - I hope you enjoyed!


	18. Chapter 18

Sorry this one's a tiny bit short.

Also, point out the errors I've made – I'm sure there are some there. I checked the document over for silly mistakes and spell checked, but... I'm about as prone to missing things as a kleptomaniac is to stealing.

Also, Sableye and Absol fans are NOT going to like a part of this chapter.

That aside. Please, go and enjoy the chapter!

* * *

Skarmory cried out as we flew through the desert; Alice and I having gotten fed up of trudging through the sands below us. At this moment, I was relieved that my Skarmory was part Steel – being generally immune to what little sand now cam up from the dunes below us, forced up by the raging winds that seemed ever present here.

I smiled as Alice peered down from Skarmory, amazed at the view presented to her. It was silly that I was so intent on traveling with her... But she really caught my eye. Something about her was so much different than everyone else I'd met. She was courageous, selfless, kind, humorous, well mannered and seemed to go on and get past any negative traits about anyone she met. Like, when I'd gone and gotten angry at her at the museum – she didn't take it, but... Some people might have hung onto that for ages. She let it go in a heartbeat.

She was beautiful, too. I had to admit that. Her hair was a dark, crimson color, reaching her mid back. Her face was pale, though not sickly so with unmistakeable eyes. They were different, being the same color as her hair... But, after some time, they only added to her.

Shaking my head of these thoughts, we continued on. However, something soon caught Alice's attention.

Her voice was solemn as she went on to eye something carefully on the ground. "Steven, land Skarmory. Quick." She spoke, her voice hastened.

"Why? Do you see something" I asked, perplexed by her sudden demand.

She waved at me with both dismissively and in a gesture for me to listen. "No time! Please, just land!" She asked. "I'll explain once we get there, okay?" She spoke.

I sighed, but decided to do so, curious as to what had gone and caught her attention. "Alright Skarmory – let's land." I spoke.

At once, Skarmory began to shift its flying pattern, going on from zooming through the skies to landing in the sandy turmoil below us. I was about to ask Alice what the fuss was about, but in seconds she's bolted off of my Armor Bird Pokemon and raced off through the desert with speed I had previously though to be near unattainable in sand.

Sighing, I stayed on Skarmory's back. "Alright, let's tag along as see what she's up to now." I spoke, sighing.

…

I was surprised to see how quickly she had moved, as I'd now temporarily lost track of her. However, just as I was about to have Skarmory rise back up into the sky so we could search the grounds from air, I saw an intense flame that I knew belonged to her off colored Vulpix.

Smiling, I pointed Skarmory that direction, flying in just in time to see a scorched Cacnea have a ball chucked at its head. I smiled as I watched it move about in the ball in an attempt to escape, though it failed to, as noted by the ball halting all movement after a few moments.

Out from the corner of my eye, Alice, came with her Vulpix by her side, picking up the ball and smiling towards me. "Alright. I think that pretty much explains everything now, doesn't it?" She spoke, a cheeky smile evident about her.

I laughed. "You mean, you had us land on the ground just because you saw a Cacnea?" I asked.

She pouted. "What do you mean? These things are adorable!" She spoke defensively, bringing Vulpix back to its ball. "And when they evolve, they're even better." She went on, slinging the ball onto the belt holding her other five balls.

"So, once that evolves, you're going to be at three dark types." I stated. If she ever met Sydney, he'd love her.

She smiled. "I can't help it – I just like them." She stated, walking back up to Skarmory and I, who'd landed on the sands by this point. As she neared, I went and helped her back up.

"So, now that's Vulpix, Kirlia, Absol, Sableye, Feebas and Cacnea." I spoke, recalling each. "It's different, but hey."

"So I'm not filling it out with typical cutesy Pokemon like Marill and Oddish! So what!" She exclaimed as we took off. "At least these guys are interesting!" She went on.

I smiled. She was the only girl I knew, aside from Phoebe that would even consider saying that. "I wonder what your parents are going to thing, when hear about your party." I spoke. I was actually fairly curious as to what Norman's reaction would be. I doubted he'd really care, but I'd love to be there to see the expression on his face when he learned his daughter had taken an interest in such ghastly Pokemon.

Alice went on to remain silent for a while with her eyes before her when she went on to point forwards. "Hey... Is... Is that a tower made of sand down there Steven... Or is the heat getting to me...?" She asked, pointing forwards.

Curious as to what she was talking about, I looked forward from her side and found that there was, indeed, a tower before us, not too far off. I smiled. "Well, that's some luck you have. This is the Mirage Tower." I spoke. "It's insanely hard to find. Some even think that it disappears and reappears at random." I went on.

"Oh? Well, why don't we go and check it out?" She spoke, her voice enthusiastic as ever.

I grinned. "I don't see why not. I've heard that there are neat things inside like rare stones and fossils, so I'm up for it." I agreed.

…

I was amazed that this... Mirage Tower, was it? Well, it was fascinating, seeing that it managed to keep itself together, being made of sand. What was even greater was that it gave us a break from the sandstorm outside. I was curious as to what possibly built the tower, but decided to leave the question alone instead of letting it go unanswered, picking at my conscious.

Steven well... He was already happy, having found a Thunder Stone on the second floor, half buried by sand.

"Alright... We're going onto the 8th floor now?" I spoke, having not truly been paying attention. It seemed as though Steven had taken it upon himself to keep count. I was never one for doing so in anything. Like while playing tennis – I always lost count of my score. Melissa won numerous games by telling me it was actually lower than it was.

He went on and nodded. "Yeah. I can't imagine there are many more floors. The tower isn't too tall." He spoke.

Just then, Steven and I went up a crumbling staircase, finding nothing more on the third floor than an elevated pile of sand with what appeared to be...Fossils on the top?

Steven and I both walked up to the two, ancient pieces "Wow – this isn't something you find every day." He spoke. "A Lileep and an Anorith fossil – both are remains of ancient Pokemon that once dwelled the bottom of the sea." He spoke.

I eyed him incredulously. "And you've memorized all this because...?" I spoke.

He laughed. "Oh, well. Years back, I found a couple myself. I had them restored by scientists working for Devon, and now they're a Cradily and an Armaldo." He spoke.

I raised a brow. "Well..." I spoke, walking up the them. _They looked ready to sink into the sand so soon as the one opposite to itself was pulled._ "Why... Don't you take on, and I'll take one?" I offered. "If we both pull them out at the same time, I'm sure we could keep the other from the lost." I went on.

He walked up beside me. "Sounds like a plan." He agreed. "On three?"

I nodded. "One..."

He smiled as the both of us grasped a fossil. "Two..." I spoke.

Both of us waited a while before both speaking simultaneously. "Three!" As we shouted, we yanked out our respective fossils. Mine... It had a prominent claw on its surface.

I smiled. "So... Which one do I have...?" I asked, holding the tablet to show it to Steven.

Looking at it for only a second, he spoke with precision. "You're holding Claw Fossil. That used to be an Anorith." He explained, smiling when I looked up at him. "It evolves into Armaldo. Let me tell you, they're pretty strong." He explained confidently. I trusted his words, seeing that he had only just claimed to have one. But... Then again, I'd have to assume any Pokemon he'd have to be strong.

I went on to voice this, however, a tremor so small I hardly even noticed went through the tower, a few grans of sand falling out of place to confirm my suspicions. Narrowing my eyes, I turned to Steven, seeing he had the exact same look.

Not even needing to speak a word to communicate out thoughts, both of us made our way to the makeshift staircase we came up in, when, to my horror, that entire piece of the floor collapsed before us, slowly diminishing into the sand that danced through the desert.

However, that wasn't even the scary part.

Steven, who had been in front of me was now hanging onto the edge, which slowly cracked, as though _trying_ to get the worst possible reaction out of me. I'd only ever encountered situations of this kind on movies, and quite frankly, they were a whole lot scarier when truly experiencing them. This spoke wonders, considering I had a hard time even watching moments of suspense like that.

Panic setting in, I tossed out Kirlia's ball, revealing the Emotion Pokemon, which shielded itself from the sandstorm which now freely wound through the opened room; a wall having completely vanished

"Kirlia!" I shouted desperately, seeing Steven's hand slip. "Cushion Steven's fall with Confusion, go!" I shouted, louder than I even thought myself as capable.

Wasting no time, Kirlia went on to Teleport out from my sight, though... It was like a set of sharp nails bringing themselves down a chalkboard in my mind, being so unsure of the Champions fate. If... If he died...

Mentally slapping myself for thinking such things, I went on and scuttled on all hours to the edge to try and peer down, keeping in mind that my weight was better distributed while crawling. I forgot where I'd learned such valuable information, but decided now wasn't the best time to debate this, settling with a quick mental thank you to whoever taught me.

Just as I got to the edge, however, I felt a final, powerful tremor, as though the entire tower were crying out its death to the world as everything around me; which included what was left of the ceiling, the floor and the walls all collapsed simultaneously into chunks of sand, plummeting to the earth and dragging me along for the ride.

It was... an unreal and unsettling feeling, falling down from there with the knowledge that there wasn't a single thing to stop me from hitting that ground. I was hardly even aware of the scream I let out as I fell down to the sandy earth, which was silenced as my body slammed into the sand, which seemed much harder to me than it had when I was stepping through it to get to Cacnea.

In my last moments of consciousness, I weakly moved around my head, searching for the Champion as I saw a figure with Silver hair running through the sand, shouting something indeterminable.

Smiling at the fact that I had successfully saved him, I gave in to the darkness that had been pulling my consciousness from my grasp, silently muttering something to which I wasn't even sure I was saying.

…

My eyes fluttered open, revealing a clean, white room; a heavy metal door to my right and a window to my left. It was a simple, small room, which I immediately knew to be hospitals. I was on a small cot with white sheets, a couple small tables here and there with the occasional stool. I, myself, was dressed to match; a pink hospital gown around me. Pink of all colors – I hated it. My mom, when I was born had gone and decided everything of mine had to be pink. _Well_, I put an end to that when I was five, taking a small paint brush from a small kit and using some cheap acrylic paints to go over the powder pink on my walls.

She went on and finally decided to throw in the towel. I was a persuasive tyke, I was.

I went to sit up to go and get out of this god forsaken room, but went and let myself fall back down; the pain coursing through my side being something I'd rather not deal with at the moment. I'd hated hospitals ever since I had gotten my tonsils removed. The doctors had told me I wouldn't feel a thing.

They lied. Big. FAT. Lie.

I was about to go on and continue my mental rant when I heard a few voiced from outside of the door.

Tuning in as best I could... I could hear Steven... And he was having a heated conversation with somebody. Continuing my eavesdropping, I went on to determine the other party in the argument... was my father. I rolled my eyes, knowing this wasn't going to go over very well. He got upset when I cut myself peeling a few bloody potatoes. This was going to be something else. I'd be lucky if I were allowed to leave my room unshackled by the time I was 30.

Just as the thought crossed my mind, my father opened the door and immediately saw I was awake, seeming deeply relieved.

He smiled, temporarily forgetting whatever was angering him. "Oh, thank god Alice!" He explained, hugging me gently. I shot a questioning look to Steven, who stood outside the room. Regardless, I brought my arms around my father and patted him on the back awkwardly.

"So... Generic question time." I began as he stood straight up again. "How long was I out?" I asked.

His expression was a worried one. "I was told you were brought here on mid Monday. It's Wednesday night now." He explained.

I sighed before I spoke, frustrated over the lost time. "Well, this puts a little notch in my journey, now doesn't it. Jeez! Just as I was about..."

My father's voice was more stern than I'd ever heard it. "Alice? Like this? You're going to be out for at least a month!" He scolded. "And I forbid you to travel with that... That boy out there!" He shot, pointing outside the room.

My eyes narrowed. "I understand a month off, even, but not seeing Steven?" I asked.

My father's voice boomed. Here came the '_I'm raging_' bit. "Yes, you heard me right! You'd still be perfectly fine of you were traveling with someone half competent not to let this happen to you!" He shouted. "Look at you!" He spoke, both arms brought out before him, gesturing towards my battered body. "Alice! He's a bad influence! I forbid you-"

His voice was cut off, as I'd jumped from the bed with surprising speed, considering my wounds and **slammed** my fist into his jaw, sending him to the ground in a heartbeat. If I inherited anything from my father, it was his strength and ability to hold his own in arguments. Surprising, seeing that I was usually one to avoid fights and give in to others' demands.

I ran to the other side of the room, grabbing my bag and my clothes which were on top of it. There, I quickly found Kirlia's ball and grasped it.

Seeing my father get up, I turned to him with a stony expression. "I can't believe you!" I bellowed. "It was my idea to go on in there! It was my decision to have Kirlia save Steven first! The issue of competence rests on my shoulder, not his!" I argued as he got back up.

I sent out Kirlia, who shrunk into the corner, sensing the tense emotion flaring in the room. "If you ever once speak like that of him again..." I trailed off, unable to find a threat serious enough to go along with the feel of the moment. However, this period didn't last long, a nice one having come to mind. "Well, I'll lose a whole lot more respect for you than I just have." I finished, my voice low.

I turned to Kirlia. "Now. to the desert." I commanded.

After a flash of white light, I felt a familiar wind blowing sand into my face. However, now, accompanied with it was a pain in my left ribs ribs, shoulder and arm. To validate my suspicions, a cast was over top of my forearm. I was guessing the adrenaline back there kept me from noticing the pain but now... Well, I could hardly thing of anything else.

"Well Kirlia, thank you." I spoke, bringing the Emotion Pokemon back to its ball. It killed me to have her see me in this much pain – epically considering her empathic abilities.

I went and walked for some time before finding a rocky area, which I quickly hid behind, keeping myself out of the sights of others. There was hardly anyone around right now to begin with, but... I didn't want to risk someone seeing me change in the center of the desert. I was odd, yes... That fact was indisputable. But that would be going past the stupid line, even for me. Funny, considering Melissa decided the two of us had an apartment on the _other_ side when we were 14.

In getting on my clothing, I finally went on to put on my belt, finding that, to my horror, a few balls were missing. _Did I drop them in the sand back there...?_

Running out from the corner, I went and immediately called out all of my Pokemon, revealing a Cacnea, a Feebas, Vulpix and Kirlia. That meant both Sableye and Absol were missing...

I was about to go and scour the path I'd just walked when I heard my Pokenav ring.

Looking at the caller ID, I found that it was Steven. I sighed as I went on to pick it up, making sure to turn up the volume so that he could hear me, instead if the vicious winds sweeping the area. Especially since I'd gone and turned the volume down last time I'd used in, in my call with Melissa.

"Hey... I'm sorry about my father, Steven. I should have handed that batter..." I spoke, nearly tearing up.

"No, no. I mean, I really do think that it was stupid of me to let you go in there, but..." He trailed off, horrendous guilt evident in his voice. "Your Dad has no right no talk to you that way, though. You did what you thought was best, right?" He asked, seeming to try and comfort me.

I nodded, smiling a bit. "Yes... And I'd no it again if I had to!" I exclaimed.

He laughed weakly on the other end. "Please don't. You almost gave me a heard attack." He explained.

I laughed a bit. "How do you think I felt, seeing your hand slowly slip from off that edge? It was like slow motion – it was horrible." I spoke, waiting a while. "Let's just... Leave this behind us. I mean, my father's always been like this, and I can't really blame him, I guess..." I spoke. "But... I know you're a nice guy, and that you'd never do anything to purposely hurt me." I went on. I was about to ask him to meet me in Fallarbor when he went on to speak.

I could almost feel him smiling over the small device. "Alright then. How about we meet then... In Fallarbor town tomorrow at 5 in the afternoon?" He suggested. It seemed like he'd already understood what I was getting at, without my even stating it. Was I that readable, or had we already become good friends...?

I smiled. "Yeah, yeah. Sure, I'll be there." I spoke.

Both Steven and I were about to hand up on each other when my missing Pokemon came to surface in my mind once more. "Oh! And... One more thing." I spoke.

"Yeah?"

"Um... Did I leave..."

I heard a chuckle. "Yeah, yeah. Absol and Sableye were left here. You're father took them home for your mom and him to take care of, though. He doesn't want me traveling with you anymore, so he didn't give them to me to hand to you..." He spoke, seeming a little guilty.

It was settled. I was going to strangle that man next time I saw him. Taking my adorable little Sableye and my beautiful Absol... He'd _pay._

"No, no. It's alright. He can be scary when he's mad, trust me! I'd know." I spoke. "Anyways, I'd better get on going now." I spoke. "See you later?" I asked.

"You bet." He confirmed, hanging up. I did the same seconds thereafter.

I turned back to my Pokemon, returning all but Vulpix, who I picked up in my arms for warms, holding it like a new born baby; its head at my shoulders. "Vulpix... Could you just stay like that for a while?" I asked, beginning my way through the route at a slow, methodical pace.

Vulpix put its paws on my chest to look a me, seeing a few tears rolling down my face. It called out its own name sadly as it brought its tongue along my cheeks, licking away the tear – it felt like sandpaper. After this, however, it went onto leaning into me, seeming to understand that I needed a little moral support right now.

And in truth, this was the best I could get right now. Someone to unconditionally love me without having asking anything.

I stopped after who knows how long; it only registering to me as odd that I was able to find my way around without being utterly blinded by the night's darkness. However, it seemed as though I was in luck – it was a full moon with a clear night sky. There being no other sources of light nearby, it seemed bright than usual, lighting things up enough for me to make way my around. It was odd, the way my luck worked – it was like the swaying of a swing, going back and forth between good and bad... Though, it seemed as though my swing was going far faster, and far higher than any others I'd ever seen.

In spite of an odd tear slipping down my cheek on occasion, I was actually pretty calm. Something about walking through a deserts sand with my best friend under a full moon was all too pleasant to me.

…

I woke up, groggy, finding that, with Vulpix, I'd gone and fallen asleep in a rocky crevice around the point to which Route 111 and 113 met. Still, there was hardly any light; the sun was only beginning to show up as hints of the faintest orange off in the distance, reflecting on a few clouds scattered across the sky.

I looked down and found Vulpix curled in my lap, as I'd fallen asleep sitting up. They were really cute, they were. It was hard to believe such attitude came in such a small, adorable body.

"Hey, Vulpix. Let's keep on going." I spoke, picking them up and placing them on the ground so I could stand up.

In getting up with much difficulty; my left arm being hindered by a cast, I went on to stretch a bit, having cramped up a bit during the night. In finishing, however, I giggled a little, having looked down one done to see that Vulpix had went back to sleep and was curled by my leg. Taking pity on the Fox Pokemon, I brought out its ball and brought it back into it. Just because I was having a hard time, didn't mean they had to.

Looking at my Pokenav, I saw it was about 4:40AM. I yawned, but decided to keep on my way, knowing from previous all nighters that, though I hated to, I could do without a nights sleep with little effect. Besides – I'd just gotten two days of sleep. I think I could do without one.

So, with a new attitude on things, I went on. I'd be damned if anyone would stop me from living my dream.


	19. Chapter 19

Hooray, I caught a summer cold! Sorry if this chapter's a little bit lower in quality than usual - my head's been in a fog for a while, and well... Could medicine doesn't help. I at least tried to make it a little longer for you guys.

Otherwise, I don't have much to say. Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

I didn't get to Fallarbor town until about 7:00AM in the morning, and had to go to a Pokemon center immediately after, leaving my Pokemon behind to be healed from the challenges some stubborn trainers had posed me. While waiting, I went on to go have a shower; finding out that the cast was waterproof and going to a laundromat to have my clothes cleaned of the soot I'd walked through. In the meantime, I was forced to wear a pink tee and a pair of jean-shorts, which were a little high for my liking.

I was also upset about losing my Absol and Sableye for the time being, but decided it would be best if I might leave them there for some time. I was sure Absol would like my father, and Sableye would probably get a kick out of scaring my mother half to death.

Though... She did have a Haunter that she's used to win a couple ribbons... So, this had potential to go any way, really.

So long as the two Dark-types were content, I was happy, too.

After getting everything done and picking up my Pokemon from Nurse Joy, I intended to go sightseeing when it appeared as though that swing called luck had gone forwards once more. You see – in walking through the streets of Fallarbor, I'd gone and found out about a contest being held there.

Of coarse, with my cast, I couldn't go on stage with my regular outfit – I'd blow my cover in a heartbeat if I did. So, I'd gone to a local mart and bought myself a new outfit – one reminiscing of the Lolita fashion subculture. The outfit was a red themed, one piece dress; the torso reminiscing of a corset. The strings were at the back; black in color and in a crisscross pattern, tied up around my shoulder blades. The front, chest area of the dress was actually extremely low cut, dressed up with elaborate black lace, however, a white under dress hid everything I wanted unseen; white ruffles coming up from the collar and going all the way up to just below my collar bones. The bottom was... Hard to describe. It was bell shaped, and was best described as looking like two rose petals having been placed on opposite ends of each other; and each with elaborate ruffles and lace boarders. The sleeves themselves were fairly tight, until reaching my elbow, where black lace defined the end of the tight fitted area. From there, the sleeves were sort of bell shaped once more, with three different circlets of cloth coming out from one after the other; all ruffled and again, with black lace.

It was probably really overdoing the red color, but I decided it was best; hiding the cast like a charm. That, and the woman at the till _insisted_ I wear this one, as it matched my hair.

My hair. It would be the end of me. I decided, while I was at it to get it curled at a local salon into meticulously large ringlets, as the ponytail I'd used to differentiate my hair from "_Red's_" would be no good with this costume. I hated to be so fussy over a costume, but the idea of going out in front of so many people with a half assed disguise made me quake in my boots.

However, everything was working out rather well. I'd just gone over an appeal round with my brand new Cacnea, who seemed to have a blast. It had gone on to play along with the theatrics, purposely teetering back and forth on its stubby legs to give it a dizzy look, while shooting multitudinous barbs of Poison Sting into the air. Then, after doing this, it immediately went on to shoot just as many pin missiles, hitting the previous attack and creating an array of sparks.

It was an odd appeal, even by my standards, though... I kind of liked it. The teetering had gone on and almost sort of exaggerated its aim.

Well, whether or not it did or didn't the judges seemed to take a shine to it; awarding me a whopping 26.5 points – which meant that the judges, on average, give it approximately 8.5 each.

Everyone in the cramped, hot room shot their heads up to look at a large, flat screen television mounted on the wall in a way to which it was angled in out favor. The, Vivian went on appearing on the screen, seeming as happy as usual. I couldn't help but giggle in noticing that her hair was cut shorter now – the Mawile's Ice Beam from last time seeming to have done a little damage.

"Alright! Now, the time that we've all been waiting for!" She began. "Let's see the coordinators that have moved on to the final round!" She exclaimed, turning her attention to the black screen, which went on to take over the screen.

"Those coordinators moving on to the final round are Lucas, Marta, Ellis, Red, Janine, Krystal, Jim and Damian!" She spoke, though slowly so she could match her timing with the images of the coordinators appearing on the board, one at a time.

From there, she went on to discuss out matches; letting me find out I was to battle this Lucas first.

…

So, I went on to battle, easily beating this Lucas kid's Jigglypuff. From there on, I beat a trainer named Marta; who used a Geodude. I had no idea how they were beautiful, but then again... I suppose Cacnea wasn't much if a looker itself.

Now, I was fighting a girl named Janine. She had a Pokemon similar to what I knew to be a Seel – a mix between both Water and Ice types. I believe it was a Spheal...? Regardless – it would make for an interesting battle, as the both of out Pokemon had type advantages against both each other.

I nervously made my way to the stage, mentally slapping myself for being such a coward. What else did I need? I was already wearing a mask. In getting there, I found that my foe was already there; wearing a pair of black skinny jeans, and a tightly fit, brown tee shirt, showing off what looked like an excellent physique. It made me feel like a big muffin in my current outfit; having worn something much more slender for all of my previous contests.

"Alright! The final match for the Fallarbor Ribbon is about to commence!" Started Vivian. "Both participants have five minutes to wear each others points down. If either party's Pokemon faints, the battle is over." She explained. "Now, are we ready?" She asked.

Both I and the girl across from me had our Pokeballs out and eyed one and other, nodding at Vivian's question, though not breaking eye contact.

"Alright! Now go!" Shouted the upbeat announcer.

"Alright! Take the stage, Cacnea!" I shouted, throwing the ball into the air revealing the Cactus Pokemon, who went on cheering its own name happily.

I sighed in relief when it turned towards the enemy in preparation for the battle to come. You see, in our previous battles, it had run back up to me after being sent out; wrapping its thorny arms around me in a painful hug. A cute gesture, yes... But after seeing the cuts and puncture marks on your leg, the gesture went on and lost its authenticity.

My opponent made the same gesture as I just had; throwing their ball into the air, and calling out Spheal's name.

I made my move in a heartbeat, wanting to get an edge on the battle quickly. The type match up gave me the idea that this would be a fast battle, and I was less than willing to pass up the chance to an advantage. "Alright! Use Poison Sting!" I started.

Cacnea aimed its arms forward, firing a barrage of silvery needles which went on which left a trail of light behind them as the neared they neared the Clap Pokemon.

its trainer reacted quickly. "Alright! Use your Powder Snow to stop the attack, then follow up with Ice Ball!" She countered, pointing at my Cacnea.

Her attack went well, the Pin Missile freezing up and dropping to the ground in midair, then going on to launch a ball of ice which went on, flying at my Grass type. However, I wasn't about to go down without a fight.

"Dodge, then use Leech Seed!"

Cacnea gleefully belted out its own name as it twirled around on the one leg, narrowly dodging the attack and sent forth a few seeds at Spheal when it finished spinning around.

The attack hitting without a hitch; the seeds popping open on Spheal and spewing forth vines which began to suck from it its energy. This being successful, I decided to go on and announce my next move before Janine could. "Now, use Absorb!"

Cacnea, much like Brendan's Lombre had done a while back, lifted up its arms and fired a ray of red light through which it began to absorb the small Ice-type's energy. It cried out in pain as it writhed some on the floor – two energy draining attacks afflicting it simultaneously.

Janine's eyes narrowed, realizing the situation. "Quick! Use Aurora Beam!"

At once, the Spheal looked up, muttering its own name in a pained tone as it went on to fire a multicolored beam from its mouth which knocked Cacnea back, who called out its name in both shock and agony.

I eyed the Spheal, noting that it had taken in a considerable amount of damage... Though Cacnea wasn't in good shape either, mind you...

"Alright!" I called out, having decided on my plan. "Use Poison Sting! Go!" I shouted.

Cacnea, who'd slid behind me from the previous attack hopped back into the battle with enthusiasm, in spite of its obvious injury and fired an array of poisoned barbs from the needles on its arms.

Janine smiled confidently. "Alright! Use Powder Snow again!" She commanded.

And so the battle went on to repeat itself much like it had been played out only a minute ago. Cacnea went on to dodge the attack, though this time it skipped the use of Leech Seed and went right on to using Absorb. The plan was admittedly poor, but there was little else for me to do at this point; Cacnea's movepool being limited.

Spheal finally shook the attack however, and was ordered to use its Aurora Beam once more.

Nervously, I eyed the Clap Pokemon, ready to call out for Cacnea to dodge of the need was there... Though I was unsure as to whether or not it would be able to do so, it having taken considerable damage. I tensed up as the Clap Pokemon went on to slowly stand itself up, charging for the attack in its mouth, but sighed in relief as it gave in to its own weight, falling to the ground ad it spoke its own name in defeat. I felt sorry for the poor little thing, but dismissed the thought as Vivian's voice rang through the building.

"Well, there it is!" She began, the crowd beginning to cheer. She waited for a few moments before she could speak once more. "Red is once again victorious!" She announced.

The crowd cheered, louder this time as Cacnea went and stood before me as we both bowed. I was personally amazed that Cacnea managed to do so; seeing its build, but decided it was best left unquestioned at the moment, as Mr. Contesta made his way to me with a special, padded case with the ribbon I'd just won inside of it.

As he made his way to me, he stopped and spoke. "That was a beautiful performance you gave us out there. And now, it's an honor to present to you the Fallarbor Town Ribbon." He spoke, holding it up to me.

I smiled happily as I grasped the small ribbon from the case and smiled at the gray haired man. "Thank you so much!"

He said nothing, but smiled as though silently saying 'You're welcome' before going off to the other judged, which were going on and getting their things together.

Waving to the crowd once more, I returned Cacnea to its ball and jogged to the waiting room, where a few coordinators congratulated me on my way. I thanked them quickly before finding the changing room and quickly slipping off the costume and replacing it with my regular clothing. I also went on to try and brush my hair, though admittedly did a poor job in removing the curls; their volume only returning to a slightly normal level.

I exited the building happily, amazed that I'd gone on to gather a total of three ribbons thus far. If my mom ever found out, she'd be ecstatic... Though I'd have to imagine talking to her right now would be slightly awkward, seeing my actions at the hospital. In addition to this, I couldn't imagine her as being quiet about it.

Which would be a problem, as my father had some odd ideology that coordinators weren't true trainers. It wasn't something he'd ever actually said, though I'd kind of figured out through small, almost unnoticeable details here and there. It was a good thing my mother could be a little ignorant when it came to details, or she and my father would have one hell of an argument on their hands.

Looking at my watch, I sighed, seeing that it was only a little past 12 o'clock.

Sighing, I made my way to a local park, which was fairly deserted and sat on a bench, pondering what I should possibly do with myself. I still had five hours to blow, and nothing to truly entertain me. The town was small, after all, and I'd seen about all there was to be seen in just making my way around my earlier tasks today and finding my way to the center.

However, I quickly recalled that this town and Rustboro weren't too far off from each other, and the nurse back there detailing that the mountain I could see off in the distance. I believe she called it Meteor Falls.

Shrugging to myself, I deemed it as worthy as trying out. I mean, there had to be something interesting there, right?

…

After having gotten to the actual mountain bit of Route 114, I was kind of crabby, having been chased down my an older gentleman's Mighyena for about ten minutes before he could actually hit it with the tractor beam to recall it. He'd been kind and given me a TM containing Roar in retribution, though I didn't care much for the idea of the move. I wanted to find and _catch_ wild Pokemon, not chase them away.

In addition to this, I'd gone on to battle approximately 5 or so trainers, winning the battles with ease.

I'd also tried to catch a few Pokemon like Zangoose, Seviper, Altaria and Lunatone, though all attempts ended, well...Let's just say I hadn't made any new additions to my team, how about?

I sighed in defeat, sitting down on a large rock under a large, bushy tree while leaning against a large, stony ledge behind my seat. It looked as though my Pokemon catching streak had officially ended. I suppose all good things must come to an end. It's just a shame this couldn't have lasted a while longer, is all.

Having nothing else to truly do with myself; it only being 1 o'clock, I took out my Pokenav and scrolled through some contacts.

I, once again, ended up on Melissa. I would have called Karen, but knowing her, well. She'd go ballistic in hearing that my father had 'confiscated' my dark types. Plus, there was also the chance that she was busy with some 'champion' business. With her attitude, it was likely that she'd shirk it all, but still. I didn't want to take the chance.

I pressed call, making sure to turn down the volume. Talking to this girl full volume was like having an air horn go in your ear. It wasn't pretty.

At once, there was an answer. "Hello...?"

I grinned. "Hey Melissa."

I heard giggling from the other end. "Oh! Hey Alice." Spoke Melissa. "What are you up to?" She asked.

I sighed. "Well, nothing really. I'm pretty bored right now." I admitted.

I could nearly see her grinning deviously on the other end. "Oh? Well then. This Steven isn't doing a very good job, now is he? Maybe Alice needs good 'ol Melissa to go and find her a new boyfriend!" She went on.

"Aha. No. Not my boyfriend, and you're _definitely _at the end of your matchmaking career" I spoke.

She laughed at my response, leaving it alone. "Well, where are you right now?" She asked.

I shrugged, though I suppose doing so served no real purpose. "Nowhere really. I'm outside of a cave called Meteor Falls. Just biding time until Steven gets back, is all." I admitted.

"Oh, why's he gone?" She asked.

I sighed. "Well, him and I, we were in the desert on Route 111 when we found this Mirage Tower. It was made of sand, but it looked pretty secure... So we went inside and found a couple fossils at the top, but..." I trailed off for second, trying to think of a way to deliver this in a way that she's handle it. "Well, long story short, the tower fell apart and I ended up with a few cracked ribs and a broken arm."

I heard her gasp. "Oh, are you supposed to be traveling then!" She asked, evidently worried.

"My dad started yelling at me, and began insulting Steven. It wasn't his fault at all, and I got so mad at him..." I trailed off once more.

"What did you do...?" Asked Melissa, suspecting the worst, as evident in her voice.

"Well, again. Long story short, my fist made its way to his face." I explained. "After that, I had Kirlia Teleport us out of there and back to the desert. I kind of left Steven back there without thinking things over." I went on.

It was Melissa's turn to sigh. "Man, I almost feel sorry for your dad. I remember when you and I got into a fight in third grade, my eye ended up so swollen I couldn't see out of it." She laughed.

"And that isn't even the worst part!" I declared. "I didn't notice I was missing two balls when I left, so now both my Sableye and my Absol are at home! I can't go and get them right now! I'd be locked in that room until I was 30!" I exclaimed, drawing an odd look from a girl walking nearby.

"Yeah, I remember the one time how he got mad because you fell out of the tree at my house and sprained your ankle. I didn't think I was making it out of there alive!" She recalled. "How do you get through it?" She asked.

I shook my head. "You know? I really don't know." I admitted. "I mean, I suppose I'm partially to blame for this, I mean... He is my dad. It's only natural that he's going to be protective of me, but still."

"Well, I think the best you can do is wait a little while for the both of you to cool off. If the two of you meet up with each other right now, well... I'd rather take the full brunt of a Hyper Beam than be there." She joked, trying to make light of the situation.

"Yeah..." I spoke. "Anyways, what have you been up to? Or, in your case, _who_ have you been up to?" I asked, grinning.

"I'm shocked and appalled you would even hint such a thing." She spoke in an hurt voice which was obviously faked. "Anyways, to answer your question. Will." She admitted.

My mouth dropped upon. "You... And Will...? _The_ Will?" I asked,

"Yeah... I hope you don't mind, I mean... I know you used to have a crush on him..." She spoke, nervousness evident.

"Oh, no! That isn't it at all!" I exclaimed. "It's just so weird... Hearing that two of my friends are going out." I explained, waiting a bit before speaking again. "So, how far have you two gone?" I asked, giggling lightly.

I heard her huff on the other end. "Get your head out of the gutter girl! We've only been dating for a week now!" She exclaimed.

"Well," I spoke. "I suppose I'll go take a look in that cave after all." I spoke. "You take care of will for me, okay?" I asked.

"I'm not letting a snag like this go that easily! See ya!"

"Bye." I spoke, turning off the small device.

…

I moped as a Lunatone, which I had tried to capture floated away, having been scared off by Cacnea. I was going to try and ambush it, but that was spoiled when I sent out the Cactus Pokemon, and it sang out its own name in joy; hugging me and causing me to cry out in unison. I was sure I'd look back at this and laugh, but right now it was anything but entertaining.

Deciding not to cry over spilled milk, I went on deeper, having returned Cacnea. I was determined to find _and_ catch a Pokemon here today.

That's when I felt something ram into my back, sending to the the ground with a thud as I grunted; my face in the dirt.

Turning around, I saw a small, blue, reptilian Pokemon, slightly resembling a dinosaur. They had a large, round snout and triangular eyes and also sported a crest-like formation of three thick gray ridges that slope down their back. It had yellow-colored circular reptilian ears with a yellow jaw and teeth protruding from the mouth. With all that was a pair of stubby arms, a triangular patch of yellow on their underside, and legs which have two toes.

Curious, I opened up my dex to find out more on this Pokemon. At once, it read '_Bagon_,_ the Rock Head Pokemon. Although it is small, this Pokemon is very powerful because its body is a bundle of muscles. It launches head-butts with its iron-like skull. _'

I raised a brow. I suppose I was lucky to have kept my back in one piece, hearing that.

Deciding it would be a nice addition to my party, I took out a ball and sent out Vulpix. A weak match up, but Feebas and Cacnea wouldn't do too well, either. That, and Kirlia would likely be taken down by a single, good attack from a Pokemon as reportedly strong as this.

"Alright! Use Heat Wave!"

At once, Vulpix light up the cave with an intense combination of scorching winds and intense flames, sending the Pokemon back a few inches. It countered, however, with a Headbutt; running through the flames and bashing its thick skull into Vulpix, who was tossed back a couple feet.

I narrowed by eyes. "Alright, time to stop playing around. Use Hypnosis." I ordered.

At once, Vulpix's eyes began to glow a crimson color; Bagon's eyes soon doing the same. Then, in a matter of moments, the small Rock Head Pokemon was down; snoring slightly

Happy, I took out a ball and sent it at the Bagon. It hit directly on its forehead and went on to wriggle for half a minute or so, but eventually stopped; signifying its capture. _Looked like I still had that old Pokemon catching charm, after all._

I smiled triumphantly as I picked up the ball, attaching it to my trainers belt. In leaning down, however, a gleaming from the corner of my eye caught my attention.

I decided to investigate, getting up and walking for a bit with Vulpix tailing behind me; soon finding a small disk, labeled 'Iron Tail'. Looking back and forth for a possible owner, I found none, and took the small deice, looking over at Vulpix.

"Vulpix, how do you like the idea of learning a new move?" I asked, smiling at the Fox Pokemon, who'd tailed behind me.

It cooed its own name, as though asking me to elaborate.

"Well, Iron Tail. It's a Steel type attack where you pretty much slam your tail into the opponent." I explained, smiling. "It's really good against Pokemon, like say... _Nosepass...?I_" I spoke, bringing up its battle against the Compass Pokemon at Rustboro Gym. It wasn't even a Ninetales, and it already held grudges, the silly little thing.

its eyes flashed with anger as it called out its name, coming close as though it were demanding to be taught the move.

"Alright..." I spoke, bringing out my Pokedex. "You know Confuse Ray, Hypnosis, Heat Wave and Ember..." I spoke. "How about we say goodbye to Ember, Vulpix?" I asked.

It nodded, almost as though it were getting impatient with me.

"Alright, alright." I spoke, getting on my knees ans placing the disk onto its head. In a matter of moments, the disk began glowing a silvery color, which enveloped Vulpix after a few moments. Then, after the disk had completed its raison d'etre, it went on to crack up, braking in my hands to ensure it couldn't be reused.

"There! Now you know..." I trailed off, hearing what sounded like a heated argument from further on in the cave. Worried, I turned to Vulpix. "You can hear better than me. Was I imaging something or is there something down there?" I asked.

Vulpix's ears leaned back on its head, looking down towards where the noise had come from.

Leaning over the rocky edge, I was mortified.

A man in a lab coat was being mauled by two Mighyena as two men wearing clothing similar to that the girl I'd gotten Vulpix from shouted at him.

I looked down at Vulpix. "I'm guessing you're not too fond of them are you?" I asked, drawing a small growl from the yellow mammalian Pokemon. Seeing its reaction, I picked it up and began jogging down the path to the incident unfolding. "Well then. I think it's time for some good old fashioned revenge for you." I spoke, making my way through the cave until I made way way to the section in which the man had been attacked.

"HA! With this, we'll blow Mt. Chimney Sky-"

Just then, one of the two attackers saw me; turning to me and glaring. "Heh! Who the hell are you?" He demanded, making his way to me; his growling Pokemon by his side. I gulped, ready for a difficult fight.

Just then, however, another, familiar voice boomed through the cave. "Hold it right there, Team Magma! You're badly mistaken if you think we'll let you have your way with the world!" I turned and gasped, seeing none other than _Archie_. This was getting bad, _really_ quickly.

My eyes probably looked about as wide as saucers. Team Magma and Team Aqua. Right here.

"It's nice of you to come in and join us, but you Aqua 'tards are to late!" Shot the Magma grunt, still standing by the battered man. "We're off to Mount Chimney now! See ya later!" He shouted.

Just then, they sent out a Koffing and had it use Haze as a smokescreen for escape, leaving me with the deranged leader of Team Aqua and a few of his cronies.

It seemed as though I wasn't the only one unnoticed in the cavern, as Archie walked up to me, seeming perplexed. "Ah! I saw you at the Slateport Museum, didn't I kid?" He asked, bringing his hand to his chin in a thinking gesture.

I narrowed my eyes defensively. "This kid's name is _Alice!_" I shot.

He laughed. "Ah! Well, you're not so bad after all! I thought you were one of their goons before, but now..." He trailed off, smiling slyly. "Well, you're one odd kid, that's for sure." He teased.

Just then, one of his goons spoke up, interrupting out conversation. "Hey boss! Should we go after them now?" Asked the one.

Archie looked to the side, smiling. "Yes, yes..." He agreed, turning to leave, though stopping to deliver to me one final message. "Alice... You think we're bad, well. Watch out for Magma, girl. You've seen what they're capable of now..." He asked, chuckling as he left.

After the evacuation of the criminal syndicates, I ran to the man and found that his wounds were all flesh woulds. I was deeply relieved – I'd be nervous wreck if he'd been dead.

Taking out my Pokenav, I quickly dialed up the police before sending out Kirlia and having them man taking out from the cave and leaned up against a stony wall by the entrance. I'd leave him in there... It was probably actually the wisest thing to to, medically. Speaking, to avoid further injuries and the like.. But there was no telling what some of the Pokemon in there might do. I was pretty sure that blood would attract some Golbat pretty quick, after all. Those thing, I recalled them as being capable of drinking so much blood they rendered themselves as incapable of flying.

If that were the case, this mystery man here would be in serious trouble.

Having gone and removed the man from the cave, I decided it was time to give Steven a call for a ride. I knew in the depths of my heart that the second he heard that it had anything to do with any of the two teams, he'd jump on it.

The phone rang for a few moments before Steven picked up. "Hey Alice, is everything alright?" He asked. _Must have caller ID._

I furrowed my brows. "Au contraire! I need a ride to Mt. Chimney, right away!" I shouted.

He paused. "Are you alright? I'll be over there, but... you sound really worried..." He trailed off.

I brought my hand to my head. That was an understatement. Blowing up Mt. Chimney wasn't exactly an every day occurrence. "Well, let's just say Team Magma has a little something up their sleeves, and it needs to be taken care of." I spoke, not wanting to give him the location. Having gotten this involved, it wouldn't feel right to have Steven fighting all alone, taking care of the dirty look while I feigned innocent and turned a blind eye.

"Where are they?" He asked, his voice now serious.

I sighed. "I'll tell you when you get here. I'm at the Route 114 entrance to Mt. Chimney." I spoke, turning off the Pokenav before he could reply. A cheap trick, but he'd have to come and pick me up now.

As much as I hated pulling dirty tricks like that, I hated having others excluding and underestimating me.

Now, I could only pray that Steven wouldn't be utterly furious with me.


	20. Chapter 20

YAY! I only took one day to update this time! I'm sorry I haven't been updating daily like I have from the start, but please understand, it can become tedious, having to write a new chapter every day.

Also, wow... Chapter 20. This is by _far_ the farthest I've ever made it into a series. If it kills me, I'm going to finish it.

Anyways, pleas enjoy the chapter!

* * *

I was relieved that an ambulance wade it's way up to Meteor Falls so quickly, whisking the injured man; Professor Cosmo, to the local hospital. They told me the damage was skin deep like I had guessed, the only real threat being blood loss.

After being asked a few questions, the paramedics rushed away, leaving me alone on the trail.

I waited for a few more minutes before I heard a familiar, piercing cry from the sky, looking up to see none other than the silver haired Champion himself on his Armor Bird Pokemon. I couldn't tell whether or not he was displeased with me, but common sense told me to suspect the worse. After all, I'd be pretty peeved if I had gotten a call like I'd done to him.

In spite of the metallic bird Pokemon's weight, it landed gracefully with hardly a sound, Steven hopping off in a similar fashion.

"Alice, what was that over the phone?" He asked, slight annoyance evident in his voice.

It was hard of me to do so, but I gave no ground. "I'm not an idiot, Steven. I know you'd have left me here if I told you." I spoke, my voice remaining rigid. "And at this point, being as involved as I am, I'm not giving any ground. I'm only giving you the location if you promise to bring me as well." I stopped. I was pretty sure he'd give in for the location, but the thought of having to get there by a slow means frightened me. I doubted I'd make it in time. "If you refuse, I'll have to go on my own."

A mild anger flashed through is eyes. I hated doing this to him, but I wouldn't let him go through this by himself. "Alice! This isn't a game!" He shouted.

I walked up to him, leaving only a couple feet between this. "That was made _very_ clear to me a few times already. Back in the forest, meeting Archie... Calling an ambulance for a _dying_ man." I seethed. "It's all or nothing. If you're going, I am, too." I finished.

Steven let out a frustrated huff. "Fine. Hurry and get on Skarmory." He spoke, ushering me to the iron bird.

I did so, waiting for him to get on and have Skarmory lift off before I spoke, wanting to be positive he went through this his end of the bargain. "Alright." I sighed. "Mount Chimney. They're planning to blow it up sky high." I explained.

"Alright. Just don't go doing anything..."

"Steven, you know? You're sounding like my father." I said, annoyance now in my voice.

After this comment, the both of us went silent, the previous night, and this little flare up between us having brought up an awkward wedge between the two of us. Leave it to my father to screw things up between me and a boy.

In what seemed to be an attempt to start a conversation, Steven spoke. His voice was calm now. "So, do you know why they're doing this?" He asked.

"I'm not sure, but I'm presuming, where they're a volcano, there's magma. Magma solidifies into rock – or land, in their case. So, that being said, I suppose we have out reason?" I asked, having deduced this all while thinking. It was fairly obvious, thinking about it. Frightening too, considering all of the towns around it. Were they this desperate?

A few more moments passed before Steven spoke again. "I wonder... Why are you so set on coming with me?" He asked, the anger seeming to fade. He seemed modest and honestly curious this time.

I let out a small giggle. "That's what friends are for. They stick up for each other through thick and thin. I'm sure your friend Wallace, was his name...?" I trailed off for a moment, contemplating the name before scrapping the thought. "Well, I'm sure he'd do the same for you. I don't want to watch a friend of mine go through this alone." I spoke.

"But, with your injuries..."

I waved a free hand, dismissing his worries "The hell with them. If I went through that desert and got all the way to Mt. Chimney, I think I'll be okay." I spoke.

"Just don't go doing anything like that ever again. You nearly gave me a heart attack." He sighed.

"Well, I'm bound to get a few scrapes and cuts along my way. So, I can't exactly promise you anything." I spoke. "But, don't worry. I won't do anything that'll get me killed." I assured him.

...

As we flow over the area, I quickly found that the two criminal syndicates had beaten us to the site; having sprawled out around the ring of the volcano; their Pokemon fighting viciously with one and other. It was a disgusting sight, seeing people so cruel as to pit their Pokemon against each other so desperately like they did.

Steven and I quickly found a good place to land, doing so quietly, though it didn't matter. It seemed as though we'd landed around the entrance. I'd presumed that the Magma grunts that came at us; about 15 in number had been guarding the area to keep intruders from interfering.

Steven seemed taken back by the ambush, but I smiled. "Now, let me show you what this little girl can do." I spoke, with both suave and confidence. "Vulpix! Use Hypnosis!" I commanded, sending the Fox Pokemon out.

Immediately after coming from the ball, it went and sent the Magma goons off into a deep slumber who all collapsing without even the chance to attack.

Steven nodded in acknowledgment before he went on to speak, making his way to the battlefield. It was sad that I could call it that, really. "Alright. Now, you stay here, I'll..."

I walked towards him. "You're a slow learner. I know you're the champion, and I know you're stronger than I'll _ever_ me. But, I'm not going to sit around like a helpless child. I'm not the person to do that." I spoke. "I thought we established this at Meteor Falls." I scolded

"Fine, but if things get bad..."

Just then, a few more magma grunts came running at us. I wasn't concerned, though. I went to have Vulpix use Hypnosis on the lot of them when a Lairon came from the corner of my eye and used Iron tail on Vulpix with an extreme force, sending it flying into a nearby rock. I gasped as I brought it back to its Pokeball, taking out another ball as I backed up.

Then Steven spoke, surprising me just a bit. "Alright Alice, you want to help? Now's your chance." He spoke while smiling, taking out a ball and revealing his Claydol. "I'll keep these guys still – most of the grunts are back there asleep, or right here right now. You shouldn't have much of a problem getting to their leader." He went on. "Okay?"

I nodded. "Just tell me when."

Steven turned to his Claydol. "Alright, make a divide between them all so that Alice can get through." He ordered.

The Claydol went on to silently push the grunts enough so that they all flew to both sides, creating a path in the middle. Taking the chance, I bolted down it, hoping Steven would be alright back there with the mob. I was pretty sure he could... But it wouldn't be the first time in history things hadn't gone according to plan.

...

After having run for a few minutes, having made it about half way to where the device that was going to blow up the mountain was being kept. I'd figured out by going on to interrogate an unsuspecting grunt who had their Pokemon beaten by an Aqua Grunt earlier. With Kirlia, I pinned them to a rock and managed to extract the whereabouts of the machine and the leader's name; Maxie. I felt bad for being brutal like I had, threatening to have Kirlia use Shock Wave, but this wasn't exactly a situation where I was given much time to act.

That's when I ran into a couple more grunts; one having sent out Numel and the other one having released a Poochyena. I scowled as I went to take out Cacnea and Kirlia; my Bagon and Vulpix emancipated, but a Mighyena cam from behind a large rock formation, quickly starting to fight.

"Ah! I should have known you'd come here, Alice." Spoke Archie, coming from behind the rocks, his arms crossed. "After all, a girl with such kindness would never join the likes of Team Magma, now would she?" He spoke

"Hardly. If this were you trying to, say, break a floodgate, I'd do the exact same I am to Magma." I spat.

He chucked. "Well, we share a common enemy right now – that makes us temporary allies. I'll take care of these two. You go and beat Maxie, kay?" He spoke.

I smiled. "I suppose you're right. Just don't think this means anything, Aqua." I warned, running past the overwhelmed Magma grunts, who desperately barked orders to their Pokemon.

Moving on, I ran for a while longer, though it seemed like forever. I wasn't in super good shape, and going up hill... Well, it was admittedly a bit of a challenge for me now.

Regardless, I soon reached a man wearing a red and black jacket, with the Team Magma emblem embedded over his chest, and long black pants. He had shoulder-length red hair and pale white skin. Hat struck me most was his cold and calculating demeanor. Just from seeing him and hearing him talk, I know he wasn't a man to be messed with.

"Ah, it's too bad a girl with such beautiful crimson hair and such a magnificent Vulpix doesn't join Team Magma." He lamented. _Creepy._

I eyed him warily, taking out a ball.

"Ah! Where are my manners!" He exclaimed. "I am Maxie, head of Team Magma. We aim to expand the land." He introduced. "You would have made such a _wonderful_ recruit. Even that baboon Archie seemed to have troubles with you..." He spoke, smiling. It reminded me of a snake, ready to leap on it's pray. Just talking to him felt like one had wrapped itself around me with intent to kill.

I eyed the machine, and the meteorite stolen from Professor Cosmo. I hadn't actually seen it while I was at the falls, but the Professor made it clear, rambling on that it had been stolen through jagged breaths. "Just what do you intend on doing with that machine and the meteorite?" I asked, trying my best to keep the nervousness in my voice at bay.

"Ah! Insightful, too." He complimented. "With this machine, I intend on exploiting the full power stored inside this meteor. This being done, the volcanic activity here will intensify exponentially! Then, we'll awaken..." He trailed off, caught up in his own mad rambling. "Ah! There's no need to tell you. Now prepare!" He began in a dangerous voice, his smile growing as he pulled out a ball. "I'll show you what happens to all those that interfere in the business of Team Magma!"

This being done, he threw the ball, revealing a Mighyena. Typical. It seemed as though there wasn't a criminal member without one in Hoenn. I'd have to nab one for Karen sometime.

Deciding I wanted a slight advantage, I took out Cacnea's ball and threw it onto the field, though it didn't really matter; it ended up my my beg, affectionately hugging my leg as it had times before. However, it soon stopped, going back onto the battlefield. At least I didn't have to tell it to get off anymore.

"Alright! Use Bite!" Ordered Maxie, pointing the the jolly Cactus Pokemon

"Dodge and pelt it with Pin Missile!" I commanded.

So, the Bite Pokemon raced towards Cacnea, it's mouth agape in preparation for an attack. However, as it neared, Cacnea went on to jump in the air behind it, starting to project from it's arm an array of white pins at the Dark type, causing it to yelp in pain. It was, admittedly a feeble move, but if I used it just enough, it would do well. I had the type advantage with this move, after all.

"Snap out of it! Now, Tackle!" Ordered the criminal leader, letting anger come over his calm exterior.

"Repeat." I spoke, feeling more at ease. Maxie wasn't nearly as frightening while angry, for some reason. Maybe it was for the knowledge that he'd acknowledged me as a threat. Or maybe it was the knowledge of knowing he was going on without a full head anymore.

Either way, the confidence served as an advantage on my part.

The attack went over like it had previously, though this time it seemed as though Cacnea had warmed up, the attack seeming to have more effect. Though... Perhaps it was simply the last one, having taken a toll.

"Useless...! Use Bite! Don't screw up!"

As the Mighyena neared, I smiled deviously. "Let it hit!" I commanded.

Cacnea looked back at me with a perplexed expression, though it seemed more at ease when it saw my plotting grin. So, it let the Bite Pokemon take a hold of it, sinking it's teeth into Cacnea's arm; Cacnea calling out it's own name in pain.

"Now! Use Leech Seed, followed by Absorb!" I shouted.

Cacnea, though taking a moment to process the command over the pain sent a few seeds at the Dark type which went on to immobilize it and go on to drain it's energy. Then, to top it off, it shot a red ray at the Bit Pokemon, further increasing the mount of energy it siphoned from the Dark type; the wound on it's arm closing up until it vanished. On the other hand, Mighty fainted, obviously defeated.

Bringing back the defeated Pokemon, Maxie uttered something under his breath before sending out a Golbat which fluttered around.

Before I could even go on to speak, though, Maxie ordered his next attack. "Now, Air Cutter!"

Golbat flapped its wings, sending a strong gust appearing as multitudinous light blue 'S' shaped energy blades at Cacnea, which flew at an astoundingly fast speed, hitting it before I could even think of a counter.

Cacnea went bouncing up into the air and back to the ground once more; defeated in one single blow. I brought it back to it's ball, eying the Bat Pokemon carefully.

Knowing very well that it was part Poison, I took out Kirlia's ball and threw it onto the field. It emerged with a gentle cry, but perked up, seeming to much up on the intense emotions between everyone at the summit of Mt. Chimney.

"Alright, Air Cutter!" Commanded the calloused man.

"Quick! Blast 'em with Confusion!"

At once, the attacks met, the collision of the two forces only centimeters away from Kirlia. However, it's psychic attack was more powerful, blasting away the attack and hitting the Bat Pokemon, who cried out as it flailed in midair.

"Idiot! Wing Attack, then!" Sneered Maxie, his anger seeming to have increased. It seemed as though he were a genius... but that didn't exclude him from feelings such as rage, now did it...?

"Well, let's show them Shock Wave, shall we?" I spoke.

At once, Kirlia held out it's and and blasted forth an electrical surge, bringing the Bat Pokemon to the ground where it writhed out in pain.

However, it seemed as though they weren't quite done. "Air Cutter!"

Kirlia, being close to the Poison type had little time to react, being sent back by the attack. It got back up, however, though the damage was evident. It really wasn't one for taking physical attacks.

"Finish it! Shock Wave!"

As though angry for the sneak attack, Kirlia concentrated, sending a blast of electricity to the Bat Pokemon which outshone the last, knocking it out cold.

Maxie ground his teeth, bringing his Pokemon back to his ball before looking up at me. "Kudos. Nobody's gotten past the first two for quite some time." He congratulated, clapping. "It's just too bad you waste your talent on something so fruitless as trying to stop us." He sneered, taking out a final ball and sending out a Pokemon with two volcanoes on it's back. It also had a stout body with red shaggy fur and a tan fur-less muzzle with three blue ring-shaped markings on the sides of its body.

Curious, I went to take out my dex, but Maxie went on to live up to his calculating demeanor, leaving me no time. "Now, Camerupt! Use Flamethrower." He ordered.

I began to put my dex away, stuffing it quickly black into my bag. "Quick, use Confusio..."

I looked up, seeing flames only feet away from me, having clearly been aimed without intentions of hitting Kirlia. However, the Emotion Pokemon, seeming to have picked up on my having been distracted came jumping in just in the nick of time, pushing me away and into an upright rock with a psychic force before being engulfed by the flames.

I watched as the flames died as quickly as they were born, revealing Kirlia, fainted. My eyes widened as I brought it back to it's ball, my hands shaking.

An eerie silence swept the field before I spoke, though ever so quietly. "I... I lost..." I stuttered. Sure, I loss wasn't too much to deal with, even though it was my first... But the fact that this horrendous Eruption Pokemon and it's trainer were coming closer to me, eying me dangerously made it just a _wee_ bit intimidating.

As it got close, Maxie smiled evilly. "Now, use Flamethrower." He commanded, his voice hinting some sort of disgusting happiness in getting to make a human marshmallow out of me.

The fire type went on, taking a deep breath as though meaning to make the attack all the more powerful, and exhaled. I let out a yelp as I turned my head away and aimlessly crossed my arms in front of me in a fruitless gesture to protect myself as the flames came close...

Though, they never hit.

I opened my eyes and turned my head to see that lone Feebas I'd nearly forgotten about absorbing the brunt of the attack on my part. As the attack finished, it belted back the flames with two times the power, knocking the Camerupt to it's side. _ Mirror Coat._

Maxie sneered at the two of us. A lone girl, cowering, cornered by a rock and a ragged Water Pokemon, eying him with defiance.

Slowly, he smiled, then went on to laugh some at us. "What's this? You're going to have that hideous thing protect you! You're both _made _for each other!" He tormented, pointing at the Fish Pokemon.

Though could have cared less for it when I'd fist caught it, this was enough. It had saved my life, without me even doing so. I wouldn't have this man torment it.

I stood up, making my way to Maxie and bringing my palm across his face with strength I'd though wasn't capable of me; sending him to the ground. It had seemed as though I'd become pretty physical lately, though this time I knew without a doubt I wasn't at fault.

I looked down at the furious red head, my own expression showing rage. "You asinine bastard!" I bellowed, my temper near steaming out my ears. "How _dare_ you insult Feebas! That little thing there has more guts, heart, bravery _and _**beauty** than you could ever dream of!" I exclaimed. "You'll be lucky if you ever find anyone even willing to stand you, let alone risk their life for you!" I finished.

He stood up, caressing his reddened cheek as he smiled. "Yes, yes. Maybe your right. But... Let's see that heart of it's get through this." He started. "Now! Overheat!"

I froze as Camerupt spewed at me a white hot flame in my direction, once again going for me instead of my Pokemon. It seemed as though this time things went on in slow motion, everything blurred and my heartbeat pumping through my ears.

But, Feebas, undeterred by everything that had just conspired went and and took the attack for me like Kirlia had, being send flying right into meand knocking me back into the rock Kirlia had sent me to.

I looked down at the injured Water type, tearing up. I hadn't even truly acknowledged the the thing, and it was going through this _for me_. "Feebas, I'm so sorry..." I uttered, hugging the Pokemon tightly as Maxie neared, chuckling.

However, it went on, crying it it's own name sadly before it began to wriggle, eventually making it's way from my arms.

"Once more, He...?" Maxie trailed off, seeming perplexed.

I, too, looked up in surprise as Feebas began to shimmer white; eventually being fully enveloped in a glowing white light as it's shape went on to change from an awkward fish-like appearance to a Pokemon of cream in coloration, with red eyes and three black dots down its neck. The top of its head was long, with a point at the end, and long, thin red 'eyebrows' extending from above its eyes and thicker, also red-colored hair-like fins draping from the sides of the head. Its lower tail was covered with blue and pink scales, with striations of black, and four large scales, blue with red spots in the middle, overlapping at the tip of the tail to look like a fan.

It was breathtakingly beautiful, and that was an understatement.

Milotic, without even a command issued, went on to form a ball of blue, compressed energy in it's mouth which threw at the ground, created a powerful, tall wave which engulfed both the Pokemon and it's master.

When the water washed over the edge of the mountain; some having also washed into the lava and quickly evaporated; the Camerupt was unconscious, while the trainer stood there, glaring daggers at me. He looked somewhat humorous with his hair, now having been mussed up; plastered to his face. Kind of like a little girl having just had a bucket of water dumped on them.

I smiled deviously, the tides having turned on the evil mastermind. "Now, will you leave, or do I have to ask my Milotic here for an encore?" I asked, walking up to Milotic and gently grasping it's head in my hands, petting it's forehead gently. It cried out it's own name in a beautiful, serene and near mystic voice, all while eying the man who'd tried to kill us.

Maxie growled. "Girl, you've beaten us now. I realize, and admit to that." He spoke. "But, if you dare interfere in out plans ever again, the price you'll pay will be a fatal one." He warned.

Grinning, he muttered to himself as he ran by me. "And besides, we still have the orb..."

Though I was curious as to what he meant, I dismissed it, happy enough to be alive with my beautiful Milotix. Sighing as both teams began leaving, I looked at the Tender Pokemon. "I'm so sorry, Milotic, for all of this... I mean..."

Milotic cried out it's own name, almost scornfully so as it took the scale-like appendages at the end of it's tail, putting them to my lips in a gesture of me to stop talking. I smiled, feeling this to be a sort of 'I forgive you, shut up' gesture and hugged it, no sooner heard a voice from behind me.

"Ah, so Feebas evolved, did it?"

I jumped, seeing Steven behind me. I smiled. "No, I stole it from the leader of a criminal organization wanting to _shrink_ the sea." I retorted with sarcasm. "Of coarse it did, and what timing they have!" I exclaimed.

"Oh?" He asked. I could tell he wanted details, just through the tone.

Deciding he deserved an explanation after what I'd put him through in the last few days, I spoke. "Well, all my Pokemon, aside from Feebas had been taken out." I admitted. "I was sent into a rock when Kirlia kept me from being it by a Flamethrower purposely aimed at me, having to bring it back, because it took the attack." I explained. "Then, Maxie went on to try and fry me, but Feebas used Mirror Coat to return the attack."

I took a break, having nearly forgotten to breath. "Well, I _kind of_ slapped Maxie after he insulted Feebas, and he got mad. From there, he ordered a Heat Wave, but Feebas shielded me with it's body." I went on. "Then, when things seemed grim, Feebas went on to evolve into Milotic, chewed them up and spit them out." I finished, smiling.

Steven sighed. "I'm glad to see you're okay. I was beginning to worry when I saw you talk to Archie, then take so long up here." He admitted.

I laughed a little. "I suppose I _may_ have been a little nervous, too." I spoke. "Now, I don't feel like hanging around here anymore. The heat's getting to me." I admitted. "Let's go to Lavaridge?" I asked.

Steven seemed a little taken off guard by my sudden suggestion, but smiled, nodding. "Sure. Maybe we could go to the hot springs, too?" He suggested.

I laughed. "Do they have private areas?" I asked.

Steven reddened. "Er... Alice, what are you getting at...?" He asked, taking the question in a totally wrong way.

I waved my hands before me frantically, my face also flushed. "No, no! I wouldn't ever... Steven!" I scolded, playfully punching his shoulder. "No! I'm just worried you might have a fangirl or two hanging around there, and I _don't_ want to have to listen to _'Oh~ Steven~! Sign my boob?'_" I mocked, one again making the gesture which had gone and become infamous between the two of us.

He laughed. "Yeah, yeah. You just have to pay for those ones." He spoke. "But, it's alright. I think it'll be more than worth it if I can escape that." He laughed.

I smiled, bringing Milotic back to it's ball, thanking it once more before Steven and I walked off.

I grinned mischievously. _What did Steven look like without a shirt...?_


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21! I would have made it longer, but it was already 3:30AM when I got to the end, and well. Even I need sleep sometimes. Again, sorry for errors or constipated writing. I'm a scatterbrain, there's no denying it. Also, it doesn't help that I start messing up when I'm tired.

Would any of you's have guessed from the following that I'm almost always tired writing these? XD

Also, OpenOffice was being a little weird, so I'm sorry if there are any formatting errors. I'd try and describe them, but I always go on typing the authors messages last, and I'm BEAT. So, I won't. Bleh.

GOOD NIGHT. I'll probably be sleeping till 1:00PM, now.

* * *

After Steven had healed my Pokemon, the two of us went on our way down the Jagged Pass. However, we made sure to first take the Meteorite and have Steven's Metagross throw the machine into the bubbling Lava with its impressive Psychic attack.

Afterward, it went on to try and 'hug' me. **Hug me.** It was cute of it to do so, uttering its name in a deep, almost mechanical tone while it tried to grasp me affectionately, though at the time... It was anything but adorable. I almost soiled myself I was so scared.

However, we quickly moved on. I'd beaten a few trainers on the way down the route and proud to boast that all of my Pokemon were on level 24, other than Vulpix, who bested them by one level. Fitting seeing that it was sort of me 'number one'. I didn't love it any more or less than the others, but they'd sort of grown to be my trump card. That, and they were my 'starter', of coarse.

Then, I'd found out that my Bagon knew Ember, Rage, Bite and Headbutt; an attack I'd _personally_ gotten to know about. It seemed to have a sort of tough personality and tried to act aloof, though it couldn't help but cry out happily when it won a battle. They were kind of sweet, really. In a fire breathing dragon kind of way.

Milotic, too. I'd found them to live up to their title as the 'Tender Pokemon'. It was was sweet as it was beautiful. However, it was also an awesome fighter, knowing both Mirror Coat and Water Pulse. It was just too bad that it still knew its old attacks, Splash and Tackle. Regardless, I knew it would be leveling up as time went on my, so it wouldn't be much of a problem.

Steven and I were now talking about my next gym battle, and he seemed to have the utmost confidence that I would win. I was flattered, of coarse. Hearing this from his meant a lot. Though... I felt a little spoiled and doted on sometimes. But... Maybe he was onto something... After all, I had yet to actually lose a battle...

He went on speaking. "Flannery, the leader's only kept her position for a week or two now. She came in at about the same time your dad did." He explained. "As horrible as it of for me to say this, I'm sure that'll be an extra advantage on your part." He explained.

I laughed a little. "Yes, yes. But leaders... They're picked for a reason. They don't just go onto the streets and hold a ballot." I laughed. "After all, I'm sure my Dad's been giving some trainers trouble." _Like me._

That's when, in a bush not too far off in the distance, I heard a rustling. Stopping in my tracks, I squinted my eyes to try and better my vision, finding nothing there but a few swaying branches. This pass... It seemed as though the trees around here thrived in the ashes and the head given off by the volcano. They were enormous, and their leaves almost blanketed out the sun.

Steven, who hadn't realized I'd stopped until just now looked up and me from down in the distance. "Hey Alice? What's the matter?"

Looking back one more, I turned to him and shrugged. "Oh, I guess it was nothing, really. I just though I saw something in the branches, is all." I explained, starting my way down the trail to meet back up with Steven.

…

I stopped walking when I heard Alice's footsteps stop, looking back to see that I had put some distance between the two of us. She was looking around to her side and behind her, as though searching for something that had escaped her vision.

I shouted to her, one more having her gaze turn to me. "Hey Alice? What's the matter?"

She looked back once more curiously before turning to me and giving a faint smile. "Oh, I guess it was nothing, really. I just though I saw something in the branches, is all." She explained, starting her way down the trail to meet back up with me.

Just as she began getting close, however, my eyes widened, seeing a Pokemon I'd known all too well on my Pokemon journey. _Duskull_. I'd had a particularly nasty encounter with one back on Route 121. I'd camped out with my Metagross, who was at the time a Metang when I woke up with one right in my face, using Astonish. Then, to top things off, Phoebe's Dusclops seemed to have taken a liking, or perhaps the opposite to me. It followed me around and scaring me all the time, and I wasn't at all sure if it was on purpose or not. Not like I cared. I was just happy when she kept it a distance away from me..

I narrowed my eyes, taking out a ball. "Alice! Behind you!" I warned, letting out Metagross who landed on the earth. It cried out its name in a hefty, mechanical voice as it looked forwards, ready to be issued a command.

Slowly, as though in a horror movie, she turned around to see the Requiem Pokemon, who used Astonish much like it had to me that fateful night years back. its face contorted into a frighting one while it let out a ghastly cry, sending a shiver through my body.

Alice didn't move, either having been unfazed by the attack, or scared stiff. I was going for the latter, and was about to have Metagross throw it away with a Psychic when Alice surprised both the Duskull, Metagross and myself by letting out a shriek. She then went on to wrap her arms around the Ghost Pokemon, pulling it to herself where its arms flailed for a moment before giving up, crying out its own name in a choked out tone.

I stood there for a moment before looking down at Metagross. "Did that just happen, or have I just finally snapped?" I asked.

The Pokemon made a shrugging gesture as it spoke its own name in a tone that was unsure. It seemed just as confused as I was.

Deciding to leave things the way they were, I walked up to Alice, who was holding it almost as though it were an infant while talking to it. She seemed ecstatic to see it, her face brighter than I'd seen it in a while

I shook some feelings of jealousy before speaking. "So, you like Duskull now? I might as well show you to Phoebe and Sydney – you'd be a trio." I spoke, laughing. "I mean, now a Pokemon said to pass through walls and make kids cry, while whisking them away if they're bad. You really worry me sometimes, you know that?" I teased.

She huffed. "its cute!" She defended. "And besides! If you thing Metagross down there almost crushing me is adorable, I'm allowed to like Duskull here." She continued. The Duskull, in turn, let out an almost snooty cry, feigning a hurt expression.

"Well, then catch them." I spoke obviously, realizing this was a battle I was fated to lose.

She frowned. "Well, I went on a little Pokemon catching escapade a while back, though I failed miserably and ended up wasting all of my Pokeballs." She lamented. "The only real progress I made was Bagon. I can never find a Pokemon and catch it. They always come to me." She explained, laughing a little at her realization.

I smiled. "Well, maybe it's a good thing." I spoke. "I mean, maybe they just take it your a kind individual." I went on, though lowering my vision to the Duskull, who'd floated away from in her arms and was now hanging on her shoulder, eying me with the red orb that floated back and forth like a metronome onside of its head.

"Well, maybe if it doesn't mind tagging along until I get to the mart, I mean... The exit isn't too far off. Maybe ten minutes." She explained, pointing down to a path that went on through some trees; a bright light coming out to confirm its being the end of the path. "So, if Duskull here doesn't mind putting up with some daylight for a while..." She trailed off, looking to the small Ghost which eyed her for a moment in what seemed to be deliberation before nodding quickly, crying its name out in agreement.

I laughed a bit. "Alright, so that's a Duskull now. You're now officially the weirdest girl I've ever known since Phoebe." I laughed, going on as she ran a few steps to my side.

She smiled. "Oh, I'll take this as a compliment, then." She spoke, waiting a while before speaking again. "And I'll be _sure_ to tell her you said that." She threatened, her voice devious, though half hidden by an innocent smile.

I paled. "Wai... Alice, no...!" I pleaded as she ran off, laughing as the Requiem Pokemon trailed behind her, cackling at me.

I looked at Metagross, who looked up at me with an incredulous expression. I hopped onto the back and pointed towards Alice. "Come on, let's catch up to them. Alice is giving out free hugs." I explained.

Metagross perked up after hearing this; retracting its legs into its mechanical body and floating in midair. Then, it went on to begin to fly towards its target.

In no time flat I had gone and caught up to Alice. I smiled deviously as I had Metagross slow down and come to her level. She looked up, her eyes widening when she saw me.

"No fair!" She exclaimed, coming to a halt.

I smiled. "You think that isn't any fair? Well then, just wait." I spoke. "Now Metagross! Go get her!" I commanded, hopping off of the Iron Leg Pokemon. The instant I hit the ground, it went and gently tackled her, keeping itself in midair with Psychic while it brought its from arms around her.

She squealed. "Gah! No! Steven!" She shouted, Metagross affectionately cuddling her as she tried to escape. I really couldn't see what was so frightening. What made a ghost Pokemon she _hadn't even caught_ seem safer than _my_ Metagross

Regardless, I laughed the entire time as Metagross squeezed her like a stuffed bear, finally taking pity on her after a few minutes had passed. When I brought Metagross back to her ball, she eyed me dirtily. "You! Why'd you go that!" She asked, though not sincerely angry.

I grinned. "And example. If you tell Phoebe that I said that, well. I'll leave you and Metagross alone in a room for, oh... Let's see. An hour?" I spoke, grinning even more when I saw her jaw drop.

She crossed her arms in a frustrated form of defeat. "Fine, fine. You never said it, kay?" She spoke.

"Alright!" I agreed. "Now, let's go to the Hot Springs. I haven't been there in ages." I began, starting out pace to the town.

…

We arrived just when I said we would, approximately ten minutes. Steven and I went on to the Pokemon Center, dropping our Pokemon off for Nurse Joy to take care of when Steven ran into none other than the leader; Flannery. They were quickly went on and engrossed themselves in a conversation.

She seemed like a nice girl; reminding me a tiny bit of myself. She and Steven talked with one and other pretty normally. I mean, it was evident she was still a little overwhelmed to have the champion in Lavaridge, but she handed it well. In addition to this, both her eyes and hair were red like mine; though hers was in a large, messy ponytail. Mine, well. I was lucky, some days, unlucky on others. It was nearly pin straight and hardly frizzy, but it wouldn't do anything for the life of it.

I went off towards the mart as the two went on into the hot springs, talking casually with one and other. I couldn't help but feel the tiniest pang of jealousy and worry, though. I mean, I had caved into the fact that I obviously had a thing for him a while back, and if he and her, well...

If they were together, I wouldn't know what to think...

Or maybe, if that was the case, I should be glad he like reds...?

I shook the head out of my head for a moment, continuing down the street.

However, it seemed as though some force at there was unsatisfied with things having gone as well as they had so far and decided to go and put a stop to it. So, in retribution, while walking I felt someone collide into myself, sending me to my feet; Duskull flying up and uttering it'd own name in surprise.

Looking up, I saw none other than Brendan holding a hand down to me to help me up

Smiling, I took it. "You know, it's not like the worlds going to be ending any time soon. Slow down a bit, Brendan." I laughed.

As he hoisted me up, He smiled. "I can't help it. There are only so many hours in a day! I don't want to waste 'em!" He exclaimed, then going on to note the Duskull which went on to perch itself back on my shoulders. "So, you really do have an odd taste in Pokemon. You know that, right?" He asked, laughing. Maybe it was true if so many people pointed out out.

Just then, Duskull jumped from behind me, using Astonish; almost as though defending itself. Brendan cried out as he fell to the ground, causing me and the Requiem Pokemon to burst out laughing.

I was the one to lend a hand this time, Brendan wearily taking it. "I just hope its bark is worse than its bite." He spoke, eying it while laughing nervously. Then, as though a light ball clicked, he turned to me, smiling. "Hey! I know! Let's test your Pokemon out in a battle!" He suggested.

I waved my hand dismissively. "Sorry, I was up at Mount Chimney..." I stopped for a second to think up an excuse for my being there. I didn't want to go around telling everyone I had just nearly been burned to death by Maxie. "I was there training with Steven. I think it did wonders for Vulpix." I lied.

"I'm just curious, then! What other Pokemon do you have with you?" He asked.

I smiled, holding my hand up to recall their names. "Well, there's Cacnea, Kirlia, Vulpix, Bagon, Duskull and Milotic." I spoke, realizing _just_ now that I'd filled my team.

Brendan seemed amazed. "Are you serious? A Milotic! How'd the hell did you pull that off!" He asked, seeming amazed.

I mentally swore. It was like he was _trying_ to pry the truth from me. "Well, a trainer's Camerupt went berserk as I was training with Feebas and the little thing went on to try and stop it. It was pretty amazing, and before I knew it; I had a Milotic!" I spoke. Not my greatest lie, but it was satisfactory.

He went on to look at me, seeming somewhat determined. "Is there _anything_ you'd be willing to trade for it?" He asked.

I laughed a bit. "Trust me, not even a Suicune would lure me in right now." I spoke. "The only Pokemon I've ever traded was Dustox, and that was hard enough." I spoke, making a mental note to call its trainer Maria and see how it was doing.

He seemed a little disheartened, but kept on his happy expression. "Well, it was worth a try." He spoke, taking defeat with a stride. "But... What did you trade for?" He asked.

"Ah, an Absol. I think I battled you with one back on route 111...?" I asked, my memory having faded some.

He smiled at the memory. "Oh, yeah!" He exclaimed. "And that shiny Oddish you were tying to catch? It's caught, now!" He spoke, though it seemed almost like bragging. Then, he took out a ball and send it into the hair, the same shiny Oddish that has used Stun Spore on me before me.

It looked up at me, seeming somewhat flustered that it had run into me again, going on to take a breath in.

I eyed it with narrowed eyes, realizing it was preparing for an encore of the previous situation. "Do it, and I'll rip the leaves off you head. One. By. One." I threatened, my teeth ground.

It jumped, hiding behind Brendan's leg as it eyed me dangerously. _Brat_.

Brendan himself looked at me, seeming a bit shocked; returning the small Pokemon. "I've never seen it so afraid of anyone in its life. And that's saying something." He spoke. "This guy tried to pick a fight one with a Lairon, once."

I laughed. "Yeah, well. I wasn't in the mood to have the little thing cripple me." I spoke. "Anyways, I'm going to head off to the mart now. I need to get a Pokeball for this little guy." I spoke, smiling as I pointed to Duskull, who tried to playfully bite my finger.

Brendan eyed me incredulously. "So now you're so terrifying Ghost Pokemon _flock_ to you?" He asked, making his way down the path. "Tell Steven I feel for him!" He shouted, leaving down the path I had come and going down the one leading out of town. It wasn't too hard to see; the town being small, after all. Though, many of them seemed small. It was likely that living in Goldenrod; one of the most crowded cities on the planet was what gave me such ideas.

I stood there for a moment, looking at Duskull who looked back it me. "I'm not that scary, am I?" I asked, curious.

Duskull, playing along with Brendan went on to hop off my shoulder, floating along as it flailed it arms about; shouting its own name in an obviously fake scared voice.

I sighed. "This marks the last time I adopt. Next time, I'm catching my Pokemon all natural; beating it half to death and throwing a ball at its head." I muttered, making my way to the Requiem Pokemon, who waited for me while clapping at my crabbiness. This little thing would be the death of me, I _knew _it.

…

I smiled as I made my way back to the center, a certain swing in my step. _I would finally be seeing Steven without a shirt~_

I made my way through the center and to a desk before a pair of glass doors leading to the area, knowing that getting past the public area and into the private would require a little more than me just walking in here and asking where they were. Smiling at the gatekeeper, I spoke in a polite voice. "I was wondering if I could see Steven and Flannery?" I asked.

He smiled. "Yes, yes. Of coarse. Just tell me your name and I'll go ask if she wants you to join." He spoke.

"Alice Maple." I smiled, happy this was so easy, while at the same time, imaging all the fangirls who'd been crushed that they couldn't see him like I was about to. I felt like a shark going after a nice fish dinner, the way I was so set on this. I felt kind of pathetic, really.

As he went on past a large wall beyond the other springs made of rocks cemented together, I couldn't help but admire the area. There were trees all around the hot pools with rocks keeping the water from spilling out; a few boulders inside the water. It was nice, how everything seemed so natural and untouched by man, whether or not it actually was. In addition to this, I couldn't wait to get in; steam coming from the water, promising me warmth.

The boy came back, smiling. "Alright, here's a key to get past the door. Have a great time!" He spoke.

I was about to go when it clicked. _I didn't have a bathing suit_. I might have had one a while back, but if I did... Vulpix had eaten it a while back with my starter outfit.

I turned to the boy. "Sorry for pestering you, but... Would you happen to know the nearest place to buy a bathing suit?" I asked,

The boy laughed. "Well, if you go past the door and walk a little to your left, there's a small store selling souvenirs, food and stuff like bathing suits." He said. "They're a bit more expensive than normal, but hey. I guess you're paying for the convenience."

I laughed, thanking him when I stopped once more, wondering where the changing rooms were. Turning around, I spoke. "And do you know..."

He laughed. "The changing rooms are even farther down than the store." He spoke.

I hummed a tune as I went on into the store, browsing the shelves when I quickly found a swim suit I was happy with. It was pretty conservative; a red, vintage one piece with a spaghetti strap going behind my neck to keep it from falling too low, while the boarders around the legs went beyond the regular, making the entire thing look more like a _super_ short dress.

I quickly purchased it, happy to have made an adequate amount of money through battling and quickly changed on a small stall, handing my bag to a woman outside of the change rooms to keep everything safe.

Happy, I walked to the door and opened it up, being sure to close it and make sure it was locked before looking around. It was amazing.

All of the springs were totally separated from one and other by high, natural looking rock formations that had to be at least twenty feet high with vegetation growing wildly all over. And by the looks of it, the springs weren't even much smaller than those I'd seen up front.

Walking along a small path made of rocks having been placed on the ground; grass growing around them I finally made my way to spring 8, peeking in before smiling to see both Steven and Flannery simply relaxing and talking. Though something told me Steven would never actually do such a thing, I was still deeply relieved.

I smiled as I made my entrance; now suddenly very self conscious. After all... Looking at Flannery, I could tell she had a figure to die for, even while it was submerged in the water. She wore a simple black bikini.

And Steven – the prey. He wore a pair of regular gray shorts with a blue strip running down them on each side. His body, well. There was obviously muscle, but not that much. Just enough to really make itself clear. It didn't much help that he looked completely free of the slightest bit of fat.

Flannery was the first to notice me, running up to me and squeezing my sides, drawing a small yelp from me. "You! With a figure like that, I'm surprised you don't go around naked! What's with this?" She exclaimed, gesturing to my bathing suit.

I was all kinds of red. "I... I just bought the first thing I really say, I mean..." I spoke. She was certainly straightforward, even for my tastes.

"Feh! Well, one of these days, you and I are going shopping!" She shouted, taking my hand and dragging me down to sit beside her in the springs. They were beautiful, appearing much like the public ones had.

I giggled a little awkwardly. "I suppose..."

The girl, she could fly a plane with the energy she had. Oblivious to my shy demeanor, she kept on talking. "So, I heard you're going to be challenging me, right?" She asked.

I smiled. This was a conversation I could get through no problem. "Well, yes actually." I spoke. "But... That can wait for tomorrow. I want to stay here until I'm ready to pass out." I sighed, sinking into the water until I was chin deep. It was _perfect_.

She laughed, seeming entertained. "And, Steven here told me you had a yellow Vulpix! Is that true?" She asked. I guess it was natural for her to be so excited about a fire type.

I gave Steven an eye letting him know this had better been one of the few things he'd told her about me. However, I decided that because I'd likely be sharing a room with him tonight, I'd leave my questioning this until them. Turning to Flannery, I answered. "Yes, actually. Vulpix is my starter, I guess you could say." I explained.

She seemed amazed. "I swear! You're my twin or something!" She exclaimed. "What's your birthday?"

I laughed. "August 3. You?" I asked.

She frowned. "Well, there goes that idea out the window. I'm April 13." She spoke. "But... Today's the 24th of July! That means your birthday's in 10 days! She exclaimed.

I grinned at the realization. "Well, so it is. I guess I don't usually like doing much for my birthdays, so I kind of lose track." I admitted. I'd had my last party at 16, and a big trip on the S.S. Anne for my 16th birthday. Karen wouldn't have me sit at home eating my usual chocolate ice cream cake and bought tickets for herself, Melissa, Will, my parents and myself. I wasn't too thrilled about it at first, but I wound up having a blast.

Except for having the punch spiked the second last night. Apparently, I wasn't half bad a karaoke. Melissa reminded me near weekly about it.

Both Steven and Flannery frowned. "Well, you're not allowed to do that. I'll chain you up in my gym and bring your friends along for a party if I have to!" She warned.

Steven smiled. "And besides, there's always room at my father's house. He has nothing but good things to say about you, and I'm sure he wouldn't take no for an answer." He went on. He seemed pretty sympathetic about the whole Norman vs. Alice dilemma. I was happy he didn't always bring it up.

I laughed. "I'm not the type of girl to have huge parties, really. Its usually Melissa, Will, Karen and I." I admitted.

Flannery's eyes widened. "You mean t_he_ Karen? As in, Johto's new champ?" She asked.

I nodded. "Yes, actually. I've known her since she first got her Murkrow." I went on. "And will, too. He was so cute with his Natu when he was a kid. You should have seen the trouble we went through when that thing went and flew up trees. Melissa, Karen and I would place bets. I usually lost, though" I laughed "Figures, seeing I always bid on the lowest time."

Steven laughed. "It seems like you have pretty high connections. Being friends with the Champion of two leagues, an Elite Four and the daughter of a Gym Leader." He went on.

So, through the night, Steven, Flannery and I went on talking. It was nice, having a girl to talk to for once... And being as attractive as she was, I had a sneaking suspicion that Steven wasn't too upset, either.


	22. Chapter 22

So, this is pretty much just Steven and Alice enjoying themselves. Nothing really accomplished in this chapter, aside from some much needed Steven/Alice time. I figured you guys deserved a little something after dealing with all of my grammatical mishaps and spelling errors.

Also, not sure of you guys remember... But I was going by a basic rule here that $1US is worth about 100 dollars in the Pokemon world. I've read that they're officially called 'Pokemon Dollars', or 'PokeDollars' in the Japanese versions... But, I'm thinking it would be a little awkward to call it that. So, I'm shortening it to 'dollars'. Basically, everything's the absolute same as it was before – I was just rambling and making things needlessly confusing.

I'd also like to thank everyone for reviewing my story and helping me out so much. You guys... That really means a lot to me. Over 50 reviews. Wow...

Enjoy!

* * *

As it would turn out, Steven and I would end up going on to sleep in a double guest bedroom at Flannery's house. She's reportedly inherited it from her father, and persisted we stayed.

…

I woke up, squealing a as I felt a cold, wet substance in my shirt.

Swiftly jumping up, I quickly, and repeatedly pulled on my shirt until the item fell out onto the carpeted floor; being no more than a common ice cube. Vulpix shot looks at me from my bed as though I were half insane, so I went on, sticking the melting ice against it paws; causing to to call out its own name in displeasure as it yanked them away.

"That's what you get, thinking I'm crazy for reacting like that." I scolded playfully, watching as it narrowed its eyes at me, mumbling its own name as though trying to keep me from hearing some secret vulgarities.

I heard a muffled laughter from behind me, seeing none other than the fiery red headed leader herself, trying all she might to stifle back laughter.

I gave Flannery a dirty look. "Hey, you could have woken me up like a normal person!" I cried.

She smiled. "Yeah. I tried. I failed. I found a solution." She summarized. "What's going to be even worse is Steven over there. We made all this noise and he's still asleep!" She spoke, pointing at the silver haired Champion.

I yawned. "Yeah, well. That being the case. Let's go to the hot springs." I mumbled.

She eyed me. "Okay, okay. First, we were just there yesterday. Second of all, that has _nothing_ to do with the case." She spoke, though seeming amused by the utter lack of sense in my ramblings.

"Argue later. Let's just go." I spoke. "After all, I can't spend forever here." I laughed. "Not saying I won't ever come back to bother you, though." I added.

She giggled. "Fine, fine." She spoke. "_Jeez! You stubborn red heads!_" She exclaimed, taking out a note with sticky glue at the other end, writing a message and pinning it onto Steven's forehead. He must have really been tired; having went to sleep in the same position he was in now; having found his way half way down the bed; his legs hanging over the edge while his arms were straight up, making it appear as though someone almost pulled him half way down.

So, the both of us quickly got out things together and rushed over to the springs, finding that it was only 5:30 when we got there. Nobody was really there, aside from two elderly woman I saw here yesterday, casually chatting amongst one and other.

…

I sank into the heated waters, made all the better by the chilly night air. "Oh, this feels great..." I spoke in utter ecstasy as I sank into the water, again to my chin.

Flannery stifled back a laugh. "That's what she said."

I smiled, reminded of Melissa by the comment. It seemed every which way I turned, she was doing that. It got to the point that I'd forced her to pay me 25 dollars every time she went and said that.

I ended up making about 750 from the entire thing.

Breaking through my daydreaming was Flannery's voice. "So, what is it with you and Steven?" She asked, smiling as a small Zigzagoon made its way; climbing atop of the rocky edge separating this spring from the others.

I blushed. "Well, we're friends is all." I spoke, _upset_ this was the truth. I hated to admit it, but this crush was becoming a little much. Forget the small cloud passing my like when I had a crush on Will, this one wasn't going without a fight.

She waded her way over to me, sitting a little while beside me. "Are you sure? You blush like there's no tomorrow whenever he's mentioned." She teased.

Inadvertently, I blushed again. "I..."

She laughed. "Don't be so self conscious about it. I think a good half of the girls in Hoenn under 20 have had a thing for him at one point or another." She exclaimed. "And besides, he thinks very _highly_ of you." She explained.

I perked up. "What did he say?" I asked, unable to keep my curiosity at bay.

She laughed. "Well, I hate doing stuff like this. I've tried a couple times, and well. It ended in complete_ disaster._" She spoke. "I mean, I'm not sure..."

I broke her ramblings. "Come on! Just tell me, please?" I pleaded.

She laughed. "Fine. First, he began describing you're Pokemon, and how you'd raised them so well. But... The way he went on about you..." She stopped, smiling brightly. "I think our oblivious Steven has a thing for little Ms. Muffet!" She exclaimed.

"No way." I blurted, my voice monotonous

"Oh, come on." She went on, quoting Steven. "The way she battles – I haven't seen such raw power, talent and style in ages." She spoke, mimicking his voice. "I think she's seriously something special." She continued.

I smiled weakly. "Well... I like him, I admit..." I spoke, wary of admitting so. But she was right earlier that day. It seemed like we were twins separated at birth. She already felt like a sister. "And... I'd love to be with him... But the thought that I might lose him in the end..." I trailed off.

She patted me on the shoulder. "Well, I have my hunches, you have yours." She spoke, comforting this time. "Don't ever go thinking you're not pretty, though! Or I'll come and beat you until you aren't." She threatened. "Anyways... It's your life, and I won't tell you how to live it."

I laughed a bit. "And besides, my dad would _freak._"'

She went on to rest in the water, seeming comfortable. "Oh, why?"

My face went to a weaker smile. "Well, Steven and I found the Mirage Tower and got to the top floor. When we pulled up the fossils, the tower came toppling down." I spoke. "Steven almost fell the entire way, so I had my Kirlia Teleport him to the ground... But I went down soon afterward..." I trailed off, aware of the cast on my arm. I was nearly unaware of it; as I didn't have to be careful; it being waterproof. However, there was some heavy bruising under by bathing suit. It didn't even really hurt that much – I presumed the cracked ribs to have been damaged a very little amount.

She eyed me, seeming intrigued. "Then what?"

I laughed. "I woke up in the hospital, and my dad said I was going home, and that Steven had been nothing but a negative influence in my life." I summarized. "I ended up popping him one and teleporting away." I finished.

She giggled. "Oh, wow. So that temper runs in the family?" She asked.

I nodded, laughing weakly. "I suppose."

…

She and I went on talking quite a while longer, sometimes about silly, girlish things, and occasionally about serious, life problems. I nearly burst into tears when she told me that she's been living alone for a few months now. Her father Cole had recently died of lung cancer, leaving her all of his possessions, and eventually landing her his former position as the Gym Leader.

The two of us, after finishing the discussion went and hugged, giggling in a silly, childish way like a couple of kids would while trying to, say, steal a couple cookies while mom wasn't looking.

That's when I heard Steven's voice from behind me, causing me to grin. "Oh, Alice! With Flannery? I'm heartbroken!" He spoke, faking an over the top sadness. _Because hugging totally meant we were going at it. Psh._

I looked up at him and smiled deviously. "Oh, now wouldn't you like that?" I teased. "But..." I trailed off, taking Flannery into a tight hug, causing _her_ to yelp in surprise. "You came _too late_~" I teased, smiling in an obviously fake way.

He laughed at the two of us, Flannery trying to escape my grip to no avail. "So, what time did you two get here?" He asked.

Flannery freed herself of my hug. "Oh, well. Neither of us could sleep, so at about five thirty." She explained. I mentally stabbed her. She woke me up that early because she couldn't sleep? "Oh. Steven, you really are missing out on something, though." She spoke, falling into me. I played along with the charade. "You wouldn't believe what she could do with her..."

He waved my hands signaling us to stop. He really was something. A lot guys would be, well... Pretty happy with the show. "Alright, alright! Don't go describing it all to me!" He blurted out, feeling deep shade of crimson evident his face. However, he was quick to come up with a comeback. "And besides, leave a little to my imagination, will you?"

I went and turned this red; causing Steven to laugh and Flannery to betray me; joining in.

Just then, Flannery looked at a water resistant wrist watch she had on her, her expression turning to a somewhat sad one. "Oh, wow." She exclaimed, breaking away as she got up and began heading for the exit. "I wish I could stay longer, but I have to get to the gym." She explained. "I promised a few trainers there a lesson, and they're going to rip me in half if I'm late." She went off.

I smiled. "Well, I'll be seeing you later." I spoke. "Have that badge ready for me, kay?" I continued. I'd be damned if I didn't get that badge from her today.

Flannery smiled. "And if you lose, I'll whisk you away like an evil dragon and Steven the knight will have to come rescue you!" She added, making her leave.

Just then, Steven went on to sit across from me, revealing his gorgeous body to me one more; some of the team having condensed on him while he stood. It was like a commercial, I swear. It was _too_ perfect.

I was about to go on in my fantasi... **Daydreaming** when his voice interrupted, sounding unusually confident. "Do you like something you see?" She asked, raising a brow as he gestured to himself.

I turned away. "No!" I shot.

He laughed at my awkward response. "Don't get so flustered!" He exclaimed.

"Well," I began, eager for a little revenge. "You seemed a little bit flustered yourself, watching me and Flannery express out _undying_ love." I spoke. "Did it bother you, knowing Alice isn't up for grabs?" I teased.

I saw him go shades of scarlet this time. "No!"

I laughed. "Well then. It looks like we're even now." I spoke, deciding to stop with the sexual suggestions. Flannery brought out the worst on me.

There was a long, drawn out silence between the two of us as we sat back, enjoying the warmth. Maybe, when I got older... I should consider living here. I mean, a hot back was nice... But these... I wanted to melt.

After a while, Steven finally spoke up again. "So, when do you plan on heading out?" He asked.

I chuckled, my voice echoing through the area. "As soon as you drag me out." I spoke, closing my eyes and relaxing.

However, the relaxation was short lived. At once, I heard Steven chuckle as he went and grabbed be bridal style and started to carry me to the door. My eyes popped open as I flailed as Feebas had when I first met it. "Mother of...! Steven, let me down!" I exclaimed, my movements finally getting to him and toppling the both of us.

Through a dumb stroke of luck, however, we ended up tripping at the shallow end, me ending on my back with him directly over top of me; both his hands at each side of my head as his regularly spiked hair hung down, sopping wet. Luck swaying to my side this time, I hardly felt that in my ribs, though made a mental note that doing this again might not be a good idea.

It was as though things had slowed down again like they had when Maxie went to attack me at Mt. Chimney. I could hear the heartbeat in my ears, while everything seemed to go slow motion. Everything in me told me to kiss him, while at the same time, scolded me for such thoughts. It was as though my heart battled with itself.

After a long, awkward pause, he got up off from me and the both of us made our way out. Just about as anticlimactic as it got, really. Like a hero going on an epic journey, only to find out that his beloved had simply gone wherever on vacation while forgetting to leave him a notice

Deciding not to dwell in it, I let my sarcastic streak kick back in. I wouldn't let him know, I, _Alice Maple_ was falling for _him_. "Jeez, Steven, you're more a klutz than me." I teased, trying my best to shake off what had just happened. The way he looked into my eyes... It was as though he saw right through them and into me.

"Oh? If someone hadn't been flailing around like a Magik..."

I cut him off. "Feebas."

He laughed. "Well, fine. If someone hadn't been flailing around like a Feebas, I wouldn't have fallen." He countered.

I laughed as we made out way out, continuing on to badger each other like we had all the way to the change rooms. All this, and it wasn't even 9:00AM. Today was off to a heated start, that was for sure.

…

As the night had gone on, everyone eventually went on to decide it was time to go to bed. Alice and I – we were going to stay at the center when Flannery invited us to stay at her house. Her father, Cole; the gym leader until recently died of lung cancer, and she reportedly had a lot of room.

Though, I had a gut feeling she was just lonely wand wanted to have someone other than herself staying in the house.

And a house it was. It wasn't huge, but it carried an elegant feeling to it – many of the pieces putting it together probably being well over 100 years old. It seemed to have an almost classical feel to it. Something I wouldn't have ever really gone and expected of her. I'd always thought she'd be the type to have bright colored walls with trendy furniture with posters pasted all over her walls, to be honest. To counter this, however, the color red seemed to be prominent through the houses walls and various other pieces, as the drapes.

Alice and I shared a room, as seemed to be the regular case. It was a fair size; fitting two queen sized beds in there with relative ease; leaving enough room for copious amounts of furniture on top of that. Connected to it was a walk in closet and a washroom, which was as equally great as the bedroom.

And Alice. She seemed to love the room just as much as I did. It was cute, watching her excite herself over every small detail.

It made me more happy than she could know, seeing that smile of hers. Throughout her journey, it was made clear to me that she was unlike anyone I'd ever met. Kind, sweet, brave, though definitely stubborn. Then, her crimson hair, red eyes which seemed to look into the depth of my soul and just the small little habitual gestures and phrases of hers...

I smiled. It looked like there was finally a girl that managed to 'charm' Steven Stone. Wallace would have a hoot meeting her – he always teased me for my utter lack in dating skills. Though – it wasn't hard to pale in comparison to him when every time I went on calling him, he had a new girlfriend.

At least he was somewhat discrete about it.

Plus... he didn't know what it was like to have crazed crowds rip off your shirt and sell it for over 100 dollars. I mean, really. I bought it, on sale at a _bargain_ store. $4.99. And some sap paid over $100 for it. I should have sold it myself for that price. What a business that would be. Wear a shirt and sell it for 20 times the original price.

I laughed a bit to myself, though not about the shirt. How odd was it that the one girl I liked was the _one_ girl that wasn't head over heels for me...? Or maybe, it was for that that I wanted her?

I shook my head of all of this nonsense. I didn't want to scare her off. I mean, I'd rather feel that little pang in my heart; wanting to be with her than go off chasing her away. I didn't want to seem like some big player, either. Going after the one I couldn't have.

Walking down the streets of Lavaridge, I took out a small note Flannery had left taped to my forehead this morning and looked at it once more. How she hot it on my head without me waking up, I had no clue. But she did.

It read. '_Hey Steven! I nabbed your girlfriend and Imma holding her hostage at the hot springs. If we're not back when you __finally__ wake up, we're still there. And, if this be the case, your pretty girlfriend will likely look like a prune. Bwaha! - Flannery~_'

I raised a brow. Was she calling Alice my girlfriend, or had I made it that obvious while talking about her yesterday that I had a thing for her?

Figures. The one time I could use relationship advice, Wallace wasn't around to go on blethering on about it.

Looking up, I saw the center door before me, which went on opening automatically. Smiling, I went on in; the boy at the desk smiling as he handed me a key. "They're in number 3, Mr. Stone." He explained.

I nodded and thanked him, going on to change. I was a bit self conscious even, around her. I mean, there wasn't anything wrong with me... But she made that simple bathing suit yesterday look amazing. I was surprised she didn't go for something like Flannery, seeing it body. It wasn't pencil thin or anything, but it really was something.

I was pretty sure Flannery threw the her being so pretty she should go around naked comment in there _just to fluster me even more_. We'd been friends for a bit before this, but... It had never gone anywhere else. After all, she had a boyfriend... I think his name was Marcus? She was head over heels for him, apparently. I'd never actually met him, but from the sounds of it, he sounded pretty good to her.

I walked out of the changing rooms and on past the doors into the private section. It was nice, coming so early in the morning. I had no idea what Flannery considered late, but I, myself woke up at seven; it now being eight. The sun had been up for a while now... But the air was still somewhat cool from the night, making the thoughts of hopping into the hot water all the more alluring.

Walking in, I saw the two hugging, Alice laughing a bit.

I smiled mischievously. "Oh, Alice! With Flannery? I'm heartbroken!" I spoke, faking an over the top sadness.

Alice looked up at me and smiled, unknowingly making my heart skip a beat. "Oh, now wouldn't you like that?" She teased. "But..." She trailed off, taking Flannery into a tight hug, causing _her_ to yelp in surprise. "You came _too late_~" She teased, smiling deviously.

I laughed at the childish joke as I got in on the other side of the two. "So, what time did you two get here?" I asked.

Flannery freed herself of Alice's hug. "Oh, well. Neither of us could sleep, so at about five thirty." She explained. "Oh. Steven, you really are missing out on something, though." She spoke, falling into Alice. "You wouldn't believe what she could do with her..."

I waved my hands signaling them to stop. "Alright, alright! Don't go describing it all to me!" I blurted out, feeling a deep shade of crimson on my face. Smiling, I decided to play along, though. A little pay back was always nice. "And besides, leave a little to my imagination, will you?"

I saw Alice turn beat red as she shifted her gaze away, trying to hide her embarrassment. Flannery and I, however, burst out into gales of laughter.

"Oh, wow." Flannery exclaimed while looking at her watch, breaking away as she got up and began heading for the exit. "I wish I could stay longer, but I have to get to the gym." She explained. "I promised a few trainers there a lesson, and they're going to rip me in half if I'm late." She went off. She sure was passionate about being leader – even coming in to work. Going in early to help her Gym Trainers... I'd have to make sure the officials for the Pokemon league knew about it.

Alice smiled. "Well, I'll be seeing you later." She spoke, waving to Flannery. "Have that badge ready for me, kay?" She went on, eying her with a friendly confidence.

Flannery smiled. "And if you lose, I'll whisk you away like an evil dragon and Steven the knight will have to come rescue you!" She added, making her leave. Odd, but not the worst I'd ever heard from her.

She and Alice getting together were like two of the worst kids alive joining forces. Bad news.

…

Deciding to actually enjoy the waters instead of looking at them, I took a seat roughly across from Alice.

I smiled, seeing her looking at me with a blank expression. She was likely daydreaming again, but... I decided to take advantage of the situation and bring that familiar blush back to her face once more. "Do you like something you see?" I asked, gesturing with both my hands to myself.

Her voice immediately shot out. **"No!" **She turned away, though I could still tell it had been a success. The reddening on her face was obvious, poor thing.

I laughed. "Don't get so flustered!" I exclaimed.

"Well," She began, a smile hinting itself on her lips. "You seemed a little bit flustered yourself, watching me and Flannery express our _undying _love." She teased. "Did it bother you to know Alice isn't up for grabs?"

This time I blushed, finding myself repeating her in the same time she had used seconds earlier. "No!"

She laughed, seeming happy with my response. "Well then. It looks like we're even now."

The two of us calmed down and settled, finally beginning to enjoy the unending heat provided by Mt. Chimney. I'd almost forgotten what it was like to come here. The first time I did – when I was eight with my dad, I nearly cried when we had to leave. I'd never thrown a bigger tantrum than when he took me out of the warm waters.

Then... With Alice, it was all the better. Having a friend, other than Wallace here with me was nice. A bit awkward, keeping in mind that I'd like to be a little bit _more_ than friends with the girl across from me, but I could settle with what I had. Being friends with Alice was, after all, better than not seeing her at all.

It must have been a while before I finally spoke, having almost dozed off in the water. "So, when do you plan on heading out?" I asked.

She let out a deep chuckle from across the pool. "As soon as you drag me out." She spoke, her eyes closed as she enjoyed the water.

My lips curled into a mischievous little smile, much like the one her Sableye; the creepy thing, had regularly worn. I made my way over to her, hardly making a sound before chuckling and picking her up bridal style, surprised that she didn't at least weigh a little more. Of coarse, it was still hard to hand onto her with her flailing like no tomorrow.

She eyed we with both a socked, and dangerous look. "Mother of...! Steven, let me down!" She exclaimed.

It appeared as though there was a little bit more than met the eye with her; her sting wriggling finally toppling the both of us. Initially, I was worried for her ribs and arm, but she didn't even seem to notice.

Then _I_ noticed what position we were in, my face no more than six inches away from here as I leaned in over her body; both of us eying each other with unreadable expressions. My hands had gone and landed in just a way that I'd sort of pined her down.

That moment seemed to last forever, seeing her so... Vulnerable like this, it was odd. She was usually so sarcastic; it was almost like a shield. That being so, it was like I was looking at Alice with all her walls having come down. Her hair went on and spread out around her, touching my wrists on occasion, her fair skin brightened by the sun which now shone brightly through the sky, and her eyes through me to the very soul, though appearing gentle at the same time.

Everything in me screamed 'kiss the girl', while my mind warred with it, telling me to get the hell off.

Eventually, I found it in myself to get off without a word, feeling extremely awkward of the entire situation, going and exiting the room. I could hear splashing as Alice went on to fellow.

Her voice finally broke the silence. "Jeez, Steven, you're more a klutz than me." She teased. I sighed inwardly, happy that she was either completely oblivious, or somehow understanding and brushing everything off. Here I am, thinking 'I'd rather be a friend than try to be more and lose her', then going on to slip up like that.

Wallace would be tearing up, laughing on the floor right now. _Good_. At least he'd get his pretty little outfit wet. The flaming metrosexual.

I smiled, deciding to go on and further the conversation, knowing it would only help ease the awkward tension between the two of us. "Oh? If someone hadn't been flailing around like a Magik..."

She cut me off. "Feebas." Figures, since she caught one.

I laughed a bit at the immature interjection. "Well, fine. If someone hadn't been flailing around like a Feebas, I wouldn't have fallen." I countered. She laughed at the comment as we made out way out, both of us badgering one and other until we reached the changing rooms.

This would be an interesting day, considering it was only around 9:00.


	23. Chapter 23

Hello. I'm glad you seemed to enjoy the last chapter too me. I had a great time reading the reviews that came in and the messages you sent me. Thanks for that!

Also, Flannery is going to be using a Vulpix in her gym match against Alice. Though she doesn't use one in her team in game, she did have one in the manga, so I'm not totally bs-ing this as I go along. In addition, it knows Body Slam. Yes, I know it isn't capable of learning this through leveling up, but they can be tutored the move.

Anyways, that's it for now. Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

After Steven and I got changed, we went to our rooms and collected out things and thanked the nurse as we handed in our key and left. We'd taken our time getting to the gym, admiring a few sites in the town, while keeping in mind that Flannery needed a little time to help her gym trainers.

It was at about 11:00AM that we finally decided to head off and get to the gym.

I grinned as I entered the gym to find none other than Flannery with about four trainers; all with fire types. Judging my the intense heat in the gym, they'd already been practicing for a while. The girl was passionate, what could I say?

Flannery, having heard the door open looked over to me and smiled. "Alice! You have the best timing!" She exclaimed, jogging over to me and Steven. "We were just about to have a battle... But being the leader... I have a bit of an edge over everyone else..." She lamented, though making her question painfully clear, without even truly asking.

I smiled... Though in truth I was extremely nervous. Even a crowd of four made me tense. Regardless, I saw no reason to say no, so I nodded. "Yeah, sure. I don't see any problem with a few people watching." I agreed.

She grinned, happy with my answer. "Alright! Marcus! Could you ref the fight for us?" She asked, looking to a man with tanned skin, blond hair with a simply white, sleeveless shirt and a pair of jeans. He smiled and nodded.

Getting onto my side of the field, I took out a ball belonging to Kirlia.

Flannery readied herself, too as the referee began to speak. "The battle between leader and challenger will now begin! Both sides will use three Pokemon each, and the battle is over when all three of one side's Pokemon are unable to battle! In addition, only the challenger is allowed to substitute Pokemon!" He finished, waving his flags to signal the start.

This having been done, I threw the ball into the air, revealing Kirlia, who spoke its own name while looking at its foe carefully.

Flannery did the same as me, throwing a ball into the air. "Alright, Slugma! You're on!" She began; the Lava Pokemon cried out its own name in a rather lame tone, though I knew from previous experiences that no Pokemon belonging to a leader was to be underestimated.

"Alright! Let's get this started with a Shock Wave!" I commanded.

"Use Overheat!" Shouted Flannery, likely knowing my attacks effects. I was guessing the leaders were at least somewhat familiar with the others, so it was only natural she know the effects of the attack, wasn't it?

Kirlia discharged a powerful bolt of lightning from itself which went on forwards to the off fire type, but to my horror, Slugma's attack swept the electricity aside with ease and slammed into Kirlia with astounding force, repeating the events at Mt. Chimney.

I was speechless as the Emotion Pokemon laded to my side, unconscious. This wasn't the best way I'd ever started a battle.

The referee, however smiled as he spoke. "The challenger's Kirlia is unable to battle. Slugma wins the match."

I brought the Pokemon back to the ball. "That's some power you two have there." I spoke, taking out another ball. I had to keep calm. If anything was going to finish me, panic was the most likely culprit.

Flannery smiled. "That's Overheat for you! A powerful fire type attack that burns everything in its path to smithereens!" She declared, sounding a little to enthusiastic about its destructive powers for my liking.

"Well then, maybe it's time I call on Vulpix!" I shouted, tossing its ball into the field, revealing the Fox Pokemon. It seemed to thoroughly enjoy the heat, letting out a content cry.

Flannery smirked. "Ah! There's that Vulpix I've been wanting to see!" She spoke. "And a great choice, too. With its ability, fire attacks will be useless here." She went on.

I smirked and nodded. "I'm no expert, I admit... But no matter how technical you want to get about it – Fire attacks will never work on my Vulpix." I spoke.

"Well, let's try this out, then!" She began. "Slugma, Smog!"

I grinned. "Quick! Blast it with Heat Wave!" I commanded.

As the Slugma just started to pour the thick, black smoke from its mouth, Vulpix sent a clean shot of scorching flames at the Lava Pokemon. Of coarse, the attack wasn't going to to much itself, it being a fire type, and a leaders Pokemon, no less. But... If I was right, the combination of poisonous gasses and flames was going to be an explosive one.

Vulpix belted out the blast for a few moments with no reactions, leading me to believe the attack failed.

However, just as I lost hope, a deafening boom was heard, going as far as to rattling the gym. From there, a large fireball erupted forth from where the slug like Fire type had stood, quickly rising up the the ceiling where it went on to spread out and falter, coloring the roof black. Smoke also billowed out from where the Pokemon had stood, as well as a small set of flames.

One of the trainers activated a fan built into the gym, quickly clearing the area of smoke as another went on to spray the area down with foam from a fire extinguisher, revealing the Pokemon to have fainted.

I wasn't surprised. I sure as hell wouldn't have gotten through that.

The referee spoke one more, though this time seeming a little disappointed. I guess I couldn't expect any less. Working with each other, they were bound to be close friends. "Flannery's Slugma is unwilling to battle. Vulpix is the winner."

Flannery brought Slugma back to the ball, congratulating it before looking at me. "That was amazing!" She exclaimed, again seeming far too amused by the attacks destructive power. "I'm going to have to keep that in mind next time I battle those annoying Koffing in the Fiery Pass!" She went on.

I laughed a but, unsure of I should think the idea as amazing, or worrisome. Leave it to Alice Maple to make friends with the oddballs; in this case, a pyromaniac.

"Alright, then." She started, taking out a Pokeball. "Let's make this interesting. I caught this one on a trip to Mt. Pyre not too long ago." She explained. "Show 'em what you've got, Vulpix!" She exclaimed.

At once, before us was a creature identical to mine; the only difference being the lack of alternate coloration on Flannery's.

She began the battle once more. "Alright! Use Body Slam!" She began, pointing at my Vulpix with great enthusiasm. A surprising move – considering it wasn't in its level up moveset. She must have taken it on herself to tutor it.

"Hit it with Iron Tail!" I countered.

At once, the two went off and lunged, the attacks colliding and doing little damage against one and other. They both landed in the opposite sides of the fields they'd been in previously, eying each other dangerously.

"Well then, Quick Attack!" Ordered Flannery, her expression now serious.

As it neared, I smirked, ready to try out a new move. "Confuse Ray."

At once, Vulpix shot a transparent beam of purple energy from its eye which went on to hit the opponent without a hitch. The affects? The Pokemon could hardly walk, its eyes concentrated on no one spot as it struggled to stay on its own feet, stumbling on occasion. It was almost cute, in a way. I felt guilty for feeling so, though went on with my next attack, regardless.

"Alright, now! Pelt it with Iron Tail!" I ordered once, more. It was frustrating, being unable to use fire type attacks. Though, I suppose it was only fair, seeing I limited Flannery the exact same way minutes earlier.

"Dodge with Quick Attack!" Cried Flannery.

Her Pokemon did its best to try and whiz out of the way, but a few steps in, it fell flat on its own face, and was tossed around the field as Vulpix near vollied it about.

Just then, however, as my Vulpix was about to deliver the coup de grâce, her's snapped out of confusion, slamming itself into Vulpix with an heated cry, letting its rage get the best of it. It appeared as though these cuddly little things had a little bit of anger that bubbled to the surface here and there.

My Vulpix let out a grunt, hopping back before me as its foe did the same. I had to admit – Flannery had her Vulpix pretty well trained in the defenses. Even though Steel typed attacks weren't all that great against Fire types, her Vulpix was commendable for having gotten up like it had.

However, it looked like I'd gone and spoken too soon, the small mammalian Pokemon going on to fall to its side, having fallen unconscious. Flannery brought it back, sympathetically smiling.

The ref's voice went through the gym. "Flannery's Vulpix is unable to battle. The challenger's Vulpix is the winner!"

I near jumped in surprise when Vulpix, seeing proud of its accomplishment and wanting to make _some_ use of its Heat Wave sent a blast up to the ceiling as a means of boasting its victory, crying out in a determined voice.

Flannery giggled. "Alice! That's incredible!" She commended. "Beating me with the same Pokemon, _and_ it's a fire type? Amazing!" She exclaimed.

I smiled, laughing nervously. "Oh, well... You mentioned that you hadn't had your Vulpix for very long..." I remarked. "I'm sure you'll be just as good when you're together with it and you've though as much as we have together." I spoke, also noticing the trainers in the gym watching. I'd zoned them out when we began, but looking to the side, they were hard to ignore.

At least they looked impressed.

Flannery smiled and took out a third ball. "Well, let me tell you this. Nobody's gone and forced me into using my Torkoal for a while now." She spoke, seeming confident. "You'd better be prepared." She warned.

I smiled, returning Vulpix, who seemed surprised as it was drawn back into it' ball. "I have to tell you the same." I spoke, taking out Milotic's ball. I fully believed her when she told be I'd better watch out for the next one. "So, shall we begin?"

She grinned. "I like that attitude!" She began, throwing out Torkoal. "Let's give it our all!" She shouted, releasing the Coal Pokemon. It landed on the ground with a heavy 'thud', blowing smoke out of its nostrils as it prepared to fight.

"Alright. Let's show them trouble, Milotic!" I began, throwing out the Tender Pokemon, which emerged with a beautiful cry that echoed through the gym.

Flannery initially seemed surprised, but soon grinned. "It doesn't matter if you throw Kyogre itself! Well take it down!" She boasted.

"Aright! Overheat!" She commanded.

The Fire Pokemon, as commanded, shot forth a tremendous blast of fire which neared me with surprising speed. However, I wasn't about to let this end like it had for Kirlia.

"Twister!" I shouted.

Milotic, twirling the odd scales at the end of its tail like a propeller sent forth a cyclone which went on to engulf the fiery attack entirely; resulting in a large tunnel of flames spinning in the center of the gym which died out after a few moments, seeming to impress the trainers to the sidelines.

I heard Flannery let out a thrilled screech. "That totally looks like a move in a contest! Amazing!" She spoke. "But, it'll take a little more than a few cool moves to douse us! Again, Overheat!" She commanded.

Torkoal went on to send another blast of fire at us, though this one seemed a little weaker than the last, leading me to believe that perhaps it was an attack that decreased in power. Suiting. It seemed as though moves that strong almost always had a catch. Hyper Beam and Blast Burn, for example.

Waiting for it to come close, I ordered out next attack. "Now! Mirror Coat!" I ordered.

As the attack hit, Milotic blocked, raising the scales on its tail to intercept as they glowed blue. Then, after having stopped the attack, it sent it back with a guaranteed two times the power, pushing Torkoal back and drawing from it a pained cry. It was pretty hefty, I had to give it that.

Flannery seemed frustrated now, as hinted by her voice. However, the same smile she had earlier was still present. "Alright, one more! Give everything you have left into one powerful Heat Wave!" She bellowed.

I smiled. "Milotic! Use Water Pulse!"

At once, the two attacks were sent off towards each other; her's being a concentrated shot of overwhelmingly powerful flames, and my attack being a large, powerful wave of water headed her way.

The attacks clashed in the middle of the field; thought the Heat Wave passed through a portion of the wave, hitting Milotic in what I presumed to be its abdomen and sending it into the wall. Regardless, its wave continued on as though nothing had happened and struck Torkoal.

After everything had been said and done, the two Pokemon stood there for a while. Flannery and I stayed silent, sure that one of the two was going to faint.

And that's exactly what happened.

With a large thud, the Coal Pokemon collapsed, smoke lazily pouring from its nose. Flannery sighed, though smiled again, seeming a bit sad at her defeat, though happy to have seen her Pokemon try so hard. "Torkoal, that was wonderful. Take a good rest, you've earned it." She assured it, bringing it back to its ball.

She looked up at me and began heading on over. "And you! Traitor! A Milotic, really?" She began, laughing.

I giggled. "Well, I believed you when you told me to be prepared, so I prepared myself." I spoke, bringing the Tender Pokemon back to its ball. "And it was a good thing I was. I would have lost if it wasn't for them." I went on.

She took out a badge from her pocket, taking my hand and placing it in my palm. "Well, you did a great job either way. You've earned the Heat Badge, that's for sure." She assured me.

Then she called over one of the gym trainers, whispering in their ear as they left. They came back with a Fire Stone which she took it and looked at me. "And, I'd give you a TM containing Overheat, but your Vulpix already knows amazing moves." She went on. "So, I'd like to give you this. Whether or not you use it, I don't mind. Sell it if you have to." She assured me.

I looked at her. "Those aren't too cheap. Are you sure, I mean..."

She went on and made her way behind me, bringing her hand over my mouth. "You're gonna make the dragon mad if you refuse her gift!" She exclaimed. "And besides, I'm not too sure if I'll be able to make it to your party. My boyfriend is taking me to see his uncle, Blaine in Kanto, and I'm not sure if I'll make it back in time." She admitted, gesturing to the ref which waved to me. That was a pretty good reason for sounding upset whenever I pulled a win over her head.

I reluctantly took it. "Thank you so much." I spoke, putting the stone into my bag. "Just one last thing..." I trailed off.

She looked at me curiously. "Hm, yeah?"

I grinned. "Let's register each other in our PokeNav's. My friends won't believe me when I tell them I met a dragon, so I'd better have you in there to prove it!" I exclaimed.

She laughed, taking hers off from her belt. She then went and took mine and shoved hers into my hands; the both of us programming ourselves into each others call lists. In a matter of moments, the two of us were done and handed back out Pokenavs. "Alright! You show Norman trouble!" She exclaimed, waving me off as she went on to a door in her gym.

I smiled. "I will. Take care!" I spoke, turning around to Steven. With that, I went on to pin my fourth badge onto the strap of my shoulder bag as we left the gym.

…

I nibbled on a carrot stick as Steven ate a disgusting creation known as fried squash. He'd insisted I try it, and it was... Less than appealing to me.

Currently, the both of us sat in the Pokemon Center, eating lunch. My Pokemon were being taken care of my Nurse Joy. Not wanting to burden Steven with another restaurant bill, I'd insisted we eat here. He was very against the idea until he found that they had that horrid food I'd just described on the menu.

I sighed. "Boys. They'll eat anything." I muttered.

"Girl. Picky about everything." He countered.

I smiled. It was nice, being able to be so open with him about everything.

Well, almost everything. We still had out boundaries. Just after we'd gotten to the Center for example, _mother nature decided to visit_. I tried forever to describe why I was taking so long in the washroom, but poor Steven couldn't catch on, so I ended up shouted louder than intended my de facto problem, getting odd looks from everyone in the building and even a few snickers here and there from the massing trainers.

Steven, oh Steven. He went so many shades of red, it was funny. Lucky for him, though, I was usually well tempered around this time. My problems usually being cramping, insomnia and... Well, my boobs got to be sore. Thank god I didn't have to explain _that _to him.

Regardless, the day was going by well.

Breaking the silence that had fallen between us, Steven spoke. "So, what do you plan on doing with the stone?" He asked,

I furrowed a brow. "Well, I want to see how Vulpix takes to the idea. If it want to evolve, I'll have it evolve. If it doesn't want to, I won't force it." I explained. In my eyes, it would be horrible of me to force Vulpix into a form it was uncomfortable with, or deny it of that.

Steven smiled. "Deny it all you want, but you're already an expert." He stated. "I mean, if I were to see you, and not have known you when you first started out, I'd have guessed you were years into this." He explained.

I laughed a bit, thinking of my father as I spoke. "Well, I've been around Pokemon all my life. Knowing some of the things I do... Well, it's only natural to presume I would know these things." I replied. "And besides. What type of idiot goes and forced their Pokemon to evolve?" I asked.

He sighed. "You'd be surprised. Not all trainers are as concerned for the Pokemon's emotional state as you."

I rested my head on my hands, which I'd clasped; their elbows in the table. I eyed Steven, unable to keep myself from feeling like the boss of a crime ring. Ironic, considering my next question. "Like Team Magma and Aqua?" I asked.

He nodded, saying nothing.

I took a deep breath in, memories from Mt. Chimney flowing into my head. "Steven, what's a Groudon?" I asked, remembering Maxie's ramblings up at Mt. Chimney.

Steven seemed taken back my my question. "Oh, some make believe Ground type Pokemon." He spoke. "People say it formed the continents themselves, and it supposedly lives in hot magma." He went on.

Connecting a few dots, I kept the conversation going with another question. "Like Mt. Chimney?" I asked, raising a brow.

Steven seemed a little shocked by the question for a second, but slowly nodded. "... Like Mt. Chimney. Figures those guys would believe in such a myth." He uttered.

Deep in my mind, I couldn't help feel that Steven was hiding something. However, I decided to leave it for another day, unwilling to spoil the good mood between us. It seemed as though anything to do with any of the two criminal syndicates ended up starting a little fight between us. That was the last think I wanted, seeing how well we'd been getting along lately.

It seemed as though continuing on the conversation wouldn't have worked either, as Norse joy approached us and handed me plastic tray with six Pokeballs in it. "Here you go, Ms. Alice. Good as new." She spoke, leaving the two of us one more. I quickly went on to reattach all the Pokeballs to my belt, expect for Vulpix's.

I went on and called Vulpix's out into my lap, where it went on to call its name in a happy tone. I suppose it would be – it floored two of Flannery's Pokemon, after all. "Hey, Vulpix." I began, smiling down at the furry Fox Pokemon.

It looked at me curiously, flicking one if its ears.

I took out a Fire Stone, careful not to hit it. "That girl back at the gym gave this to me." I spoke. "With this, you'll evolve into a Ninetales." I explained.

It narrowed its eyes and spoke its name, as though telling me to get on with it.

I laughed. "Fine, fine." I exclaimed. "Anyways, I want to know if you want to evolve." I asked. "If you want to, that's nice, but if you don't want to, that's okay, too. I don't want to go and pressure you in..."

I stopped speaking when Vulpix went on to lightly smack me with its soft paw, though in a gently way for my likely jabbering on like an idiot. Then, to my surprise, it leaped, taking the stone into its mouth as it began to glow; landing on the floor as the stone disappeared.

In a matter of moments, a stunning Pokemon covered with a thick, luxurious silver-white fur with nine long tails, each of which was tipped with blue. They also had a fluffy crest on top of its head and a similar ruff around their neck. Most of all was its eyes, which gleamed a brilliant white.

I smiled down at it, getting onto my knees and bringing my around around it for a hug; which it gladly acknowledged, bringing its muzzle own into my shoulders. It was extremely soft, and its body radiated heat. it'd be lucky if I ever let go of it again.

Breaking the hug, I eyed its tails, but thought to ask before touching them. "And how do you feel about me touching your tails?" I asked, wary of a possible thousand year curse. Call me crazy, but I'd very much enjoy dodging that if I could.

It seemed to shrug the thought off, bringing the one up to me. Amazed to be able to do so, I gently brought my hand down its tail, finding it to be luxuriously soft and downy.

I smiled at Ninetales. "Well, I'd like to see dad _try_ and stop you know."

A small grin seemed evident about it as it called out called out its own voice in a deep, though pretty voice.

Steven laughed. "And she's now added a Pokemon that lives to be 100 and is said to cast thousand year curses on people." He interjected. "Why don't we just give Phoebe the boot when you beat the leaders of Hoenn?" He asked, though obviously sarcastic.

"Just wait till she hears that one." I spoke wickedly.

Just as Steven stood from his chair, I made my out of the center with my things, and Ninetales in tow.


	24. Chapter 24

Sorry this wasn't up a little earlier, you see – the internet figured it would be hella fun to cut out on me. Sorry in advance for spelling errors and grammar mishaps. They're bound to be in there.

Also, this is 100,000 words. I never, ever though I'd make it this far. I think I owe it to all the feedback you guys have given me. I mean. .. **71** reviews... I'm speechless...

Thanks a bunch! =]

* * *

I scoffed to myself in the all too familiar hot springs; though this time in a public section; though only two old woman in here with me. I learned that they names were Grace and Anna, since I'd been here every day since winning against Flannery. Five, now.

You see; Steven had gotten a call and was required to leave. I didn't even really get a chance to ask him where, he was gone so quickly. I could probably assume it was either a meeting with the Elite Four or a visit with his father. It made me mad, sometimes. Him being away all the time. Well... Not really. I suppose I should be happy, even having him to myself this much.

But the part of me that Steven had charmed argued, wanting all the time with him it could get.

At least I'd gotten my cast removed and accomplished getting some training done while I was here. All of my Pokemon were on level 30, now. Bagon had gone and evolved into Shelgon, and Kirlia had evolved onto a Gardevoir. Unfortunately, _and _ironically, the same battle in which Kirlia had evolved in would be it's last for a little bit; the Graveler we were fighting had used Self Destruct; sending Gardevoir into a wall and breaking one of it's arms. I'd since sent it to my mother's house where it could recuperate.

Anna's laugh brought me back to reality. Seeing my grumpy expression, she spoke.. "Ah! Poor girl's mad because her boyfriend's off!"

Grace chimed him. "Aw! What's the matter? Are is two old crones no fun to you young folks?" She went on.

It was funny. I'd only gotten to know them a couple days ago, but I was already talking casually with them. "No, no. You two are a blast." I spoke. "And he's not by boyfriend! But, it is irritating having him run off all the time without a seconds notice." I grumbled, sinking into the water.

Anna laughed. "You liiiike him!" She went on. They were like a couple of kids. Whoever started the concept that grandmothers were meek old woman sitting in their rocking chair and knitting was a fool.

I grinned. "I never said I didn't like him. I just said we weren't dating." I spoke coyly.

The two laughed and went on talking with one and other the possible effects of throwing different Pokemon into the water here. They went though quite a few Pokemon, landing on Pikachu when I heard a familiar voice to my side. The talks they had sometimes, they were ridiculous. The one time it was outright humiliating; a rather handsome man having come into the area. When he left, the two were ogling his wet form. They hadn't stopped talking about it since, and plotted on humiliating him next time he came by having Anna asking him out as a joke.

I sat there for a few more moments before another distraction took me from my subconscious. "Hey, Alice. I hope you haven't soaked up too much water here, or Skarmory won't be able to fly us to Petalburg." Teased Steven from the side.

I gave him a dirty look. "Look who's talking. I'm surprised you don't weigh as much as your Metagross, seeing how much you eat." I shot back, getting out. I waved to the two old ladies who ecclesiastically waved back, seeing entertained by our reported 'puppy love'.

As I exited the waters, I couldn't help but wonder why Steven was always away. I couldn't help but suspect that it was because of the situation with Team Aqua and Team Magma... But he took such precautions to keep me out of the ring. I guess he was only trying to protect me, but it drove me up the wall that he was so protective. Had I not made it clear that I would wedge myself in there whether he wanted me to or not back at Meteor Falls?

I was so preoccupied with my thoughts, I almost forgot to go pick up my bag and get changed, silently thanking Steven for turning that direction to keep me from walking out into the center in a red swim suit.

I smiled as I asked for my things from the counter, looking at Steven right afterward. "Alright, I won't be too long, kay?" I said.

He rolled his eyes, smiling. "Kay. So, two hours then?" He teased.

I stuck out my tongue as I walked to the changing rooms, quickly finding that all the shower stalls were empty. I supposed this would be the case, after all, seeing that it was only around 8:00 in the morning.

As I showered, I couldn't help but contemplate my relationship with Steven. What did he thing of me? Was I a friend, just someone interesting passing by...?

Was it possible I could be something more to him?

I finished rinsing off, toweling myself before I got out into the empty room where I quickly changed up. I knew it was just my body, and that there wasn't anything wrong with it, but people seeing me naked... I'd always had issues with it. I almost died of a heart attack the one time I was changing in Karen's room and Will walked in. And I wasn't even naked, then.

Finished, I walked out of the room, my head in a bit of a cloud. I was admittedly nervous.

You see – I was going to Petalburg city today. I would be seeing my dad. What was I going to say? "Oh hai! Sorry for running away and punching you in the face?"

Then... hat would he think when he saw me with Steven?

Steven looked down at me. "Is something wrong, Alice?" He asked.

I shook my head and faked a smile. "Oh, no. I was just daydreaming." I lied.

He raised a questioning brow as the the both of us walked out of the center. "If you say so." He spoke, seeming unconvinced. _Hell_ That wasn't too great a lie. He probably saw right through it. After all, he knew about the fight between me and my father. It wasn't like he wasn't there, after all.

H went on to send out Skarmory, hopping on it's back and lending me a hand to help me up. I gladly took it ad was seated before him. Letting out a piercing cry, Skarmory took off, letting out a sharp cry as it did.

As we began to fly, I gulped. We all had to face our fears sooner or later, right?

… I would have preferred later to sooner.

…

I let a halfhearted smile spread across my lips as Steven and I caught site of Petalburg City. However, much to my surprise, we flew right past it.

With both curiosity and nervousness in my voice, I spoke. "Steven. Where are you taking me?" My voice wasn't even a question, actually. It was more a demand. I couldn't help but let my imagination begin to work it's wonders. Was he taking me home? It seemed like we were headed to Littleroot Town.

Was he turning me in to my father? Had they concocted a secret alliance behind my back?

Steven didn't answer my question.

"Steven, where are we going?" I asked again, my voice more urgent this time. His silence scared me, and I spoke one more, my voice quivering. "Steven, please. Let me down. This is enough." I continued, fear evident in my voice.

Just then, however, we'd reached Littleroot. Landing in front of my house, I was terrified. I went to run when I hopped off of his Skarmory, but Steven gently took a hold of my wrist, whispering something to Skarmory.

At once it let out a loud shriek, causing me to let out a much quieter one.

There was a silence – like the calm before the storm. I wondered what was next when, all at once, everyone I knew was crammed in front of the winders to my house, all screaming in unison. "Happy Birthday!"

I said nothing, slowly turning my head to Steven with an unreadable expression. "You bastard." I spoke, uncertain _myself_ if I was saying so jokingly or angrily. "You could have told me – I would have played along. But no!" I shouted, throwing my arms up into the air. "Let's scare the shit of of Alice!" I yelled.

He seemed surprised by my foul language – the only real swear I ever made use of being 'hell'. However, I didn't have much more time to rant; the familiar feeling of being tacked into a hug and flying onto the ground coming to me.

"Alice!" Shouted Melissa, ecstatic. "I missed you I missed you I missed you!" She blurted out.

Keeping my thoughts to myself, I let out a squawking sound; the hug being a little tight for my liking. I was betting I didn't sound too far off from what Skarmory had sounded like, letting out that cry it did.

Karen and Will came from the house, next, Will leaning on the wall wile Karen came up to the two of us, grinning. "Crap, Alice! He's the Champion, and you still managed to terrify him." Teased Karen. "Remind me to never get you mad again!"

I narrowed my eyes. "You say that every time you get me mad, and I do. You still end up doing it." I spoke.

Melissa sprung up back to her feet and yanked me back up with strength I didn't know she had in her. Just as she pulled me into the house, Steven winked. "Could've told you, but it was all the more fun watching you freak." He teased.

I glared holes through is head as I was dragged into my house where everyone I practically knew was. Mr. and Mrs. Birch, Brendan, Wally, his uncle and aunt, my parents who stood off in the corner, Steven, Mr. Stone, Karen, Will and Melissa. The only one really missing was Flannery, though I suppose her leaving just this morning _may_ have been the reason.

So, for the next hour I was pretty much stuck talking to everyone I knew for a little bit, telling them what I was up to, seeing how there were and moving on. I didn't mean to be rude, but I practically forgot what the one before had said when I moved onto the next.

Then came my father.

His expression went unchanging. "Alice... Could we speak outside?" He asked. I couldn't read him. One of the things I hated about him doing things like this. I couldn't ever tell if he was mad or happy.

I swallowed the feeling of unavoidable doom that had overcome me and followed him out into the back yard. It was surprisingly silent out here for all the noise going on in the house, but it was nice.

We were both quiet for some time before I spoke. "Listen. Dad." I started, avoiding his look, while feeling the odd sense of skin instead of plaster on my left arm once more.

I took in a deep breath. I was never good at this sort of thing, and they always proved to me extremely awkward. "I'm sorry for what happened at the hospital. I should never have hit you. I should have listened to you and taken time off. But..." I stopped, smiling as I chuckled lightly to myself. "I just might do it all again if I had to do this over." I finished.

He chuckled this time. "And I'm sorry for being so rash." He spoke, taking me off guard. He was usually more strict than this. "I should have listened to you. And, I should have been more trusting of Steven." He finished. Looking up at him from the corner of my eye, I could see he was just as awkward as I.

I smiled. "So, are you saying you're okay with him and I...?" I trailed off, looking at him.

He sighed, bringing his hand to his forehead. "As long as you don't come home with grandchildren." He finished.

I laughed, walking over to him and hugging him. I wasn't much for being a touchy-feely person; so me doing this actually meant something. He seemed a little surprised, but returned the gesture happily.

I smiled against his chest. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I haven't forgotten the while 'you can't date until you're married' spiel." I uttered.

He laughed. "Well, you're eighteen soon..." He trailed off. "I suppose I can't keep you away from boys forever." He spoke. This was pretty amazing and out of character for him, actually. But, I suppose he did have a point. In a few days, I was eighteen. Good thing they didn't plan this for me on the actual day. I might have actually expected something.

And, as much as I hates Steven and my father for it, I had to admit bringing me here under the guise of turning me into an angry father was en excellent idea. Just not a nice one.

We broke the hug. I smiled up at him. "Thanks, dad." I finished.

With that, the both of us made it onto the house, everyone seeming a little tense while they looked at us. Taking advantage of their fear, I quickly took a plastic bag laying around and popped it, making everyone jump.

I smiled deviously and cackled. "There. That's revenge full doing this to me,. All of you." I spoke, jokingly. "Now come on. This is a party, not a funeral. Lighten up!" I encouraged.

So, the party began; three groups becoming prominent. There was the adults; of coarse. Then, there were the members of the leagues, followed by Wally, Melissa, Brendan and I. I wasn't as though Steven, Will and Karen didn't want to spend time with us – they'd just become engrossed in conversations concerning their own leagues.

In spite of four of us being here, all the questions were pointed me me. Melissa asked most of them, of coarse. "Aaalllliice!" She whined. "I wanna see you Pokemon!" She blurted, sounding immature. She wrapped her arms around my left and pouted.

I sighed. "Fine, fine." I spoke, realizing that resistance was futile. "Let's just go outside. I saw what looked like a pond..."

"Lake, actually." Corrected Melissa.

My eyes popped open. "Sweet mother of everything holy! I have a lake in my backyard?" I exclaimed.

The trio laughed at me. "Yeah, actually." Said Brendan. "It goes into our yard as well. It's nice in hot summer weather."

I smiled. "Well, now that we've gotten that established, let's go let out _all_ of our Pokemon." I said, starting the pace by getting up and heading out my door. It would be interesting, seeing so many different Pokemon mingle.

At once, all of us let out our Pokemon, revealing on my part Ninetales; who stood beside my right leg, Cacnea, who hugged the opposite leg, Duskull, who hung over my shoulder and peered over it, Milotic, who curled around behind me and Shelgon, who stood there; it's expression unreadable. I mean, you try gathering it's thoughts when it's face was inside of a shell like that. Especially when it _wasn't even facing you_.

Wally had a Kirlia; who stood by him, a Magnemite who floated about aimlessly, a Skitty which jumped about happily, a Roselia who stood with Kirlia and an adorable Swablu which perched on his head.

Brendan, of coarse, a green Oddish which stood behind it's leg, pouting as it saw me, his Lombre which stood by his side, uninterested by the surroundings, his Marshtop which seemed happy-go-lucky and the Slugma I'd gotten to know and stood by Lombre, it's expression unclear. However, it seemed as though he'd made an addition to his team, a Swellow perching on the roof looking aloof and proud.

Finally, Melissa sent her Pokemon out. It was funny – she seemed most immature out of the four, but her Pokemon were likely the strongest. Beside her was a Magcargo who mirrored Slugma's expression, an eerily calm Misdreavus, an unreadable Magneton which went on to float beside Wally's Magnemite, a Murkrow given to her by Karen as an egg and her starter; Meganium. I know for a fact that last time I'd talked to her, Meganium was on level 38.

It was quite the mixture of Pokemon, that was for sure.

I smiled. "Wow... It looks like you've all gotten stronger since I last saw you guys." I spoke.

Melissa laughed. "Naw, actually. Me and my friends here have been pretty lazy. All of my buddies here have only gone up a couple levels." She remarked. "But, it looks like you've made some _definite_ progress." She went on. "A Milotic and a Ninetales, they're beautiful." She commented. "And, all of your other Pokemon look adorable, too!"

Brendan nodded. "Yeah. I mean, when they're all fully evolved, you're going to be monstrous." He agreed.

Wally chimed in. "The Pokemon League won't stand a chance!"

Just then, however, from the bushes came three more familiar figures. There was my Gardevoir; with the cast on it's arm like min, then Absol; who'd had a party had stuck over it's horn. To top it off, Sableye jeered on happily as it rode on top of Absol's back.

I giggled. "I almost forgot these guys." I spoke, walking over to Absol and taking Sableye off, while removing the hat. It nuzzled my leg affectionately thereafter, seeming pleased to be rid of the embarrassment.

Then, to top things off; the purple haired banshee came running out of the house, running to Absol and Sableye.

Karen seemed like a kid in a candy shop." Oh my god, Alice! They're **amazing**!" She shouted, picking up Sableye as it grinned wildly at her. "Imma steal it and never bring it back?" She asked, looking at me with eyes as sparkly as the Darkness Pokemon she held.

I laughed. "No way!" I spoke. "You couldn't even trade Houndoom to me for them!"

She giggled, dismissing the comment. "Well, anyways. I came out to tell you guys Alice had to open her presents now." She spoke. "Also, Alice. You mom set up some food for all your Pokemon. You guys go inside and I'll lead the parade there, okay?" She asked.

I nodded, looking down at Gardevoir... Though it wasn't too much shorter than me now, honestly. "Gardevoir, if she tries to make off with those two," I started, pointing at Sableye and Absol. "Trip her and run for it, okay?"

Gardevoir smiled and nodded, heading off as we went on inside.

I was soon pushed down into the main couch and had a plate of chocolate ice cream cake shoved into my lap by my mother. I thanked her before Karen passed me a box. The wrapping paper was purple with little Umbreon's running all over it. Figures.

"Well, open it!" She urged.

I smiled. "Guys. All of you... You shouldn't have..." I trailed off.

Melissa broke the moment. "Well, what do you want us to do? Bring it all back?" She exclaimed sarcastically.

I laughed and began opening the gift, revealing a nice, simply, yet classy red dress, a pair of black jeans and a yellow spaghetti strap shirt. With it was a studded belt.

I looked up at Karen, immediately happy with what she got me. "Thank you so much!" I thanked.

She waved her hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah. I figured you needed something else than red." She uttered with a smile while looking away, not one for being thanked herself. She did this, but it was obvious she cared.

Next came Will's gift. It was small, covered in shiny, red wrapping paper with a purple bow. Curious, I opened the box; though with great difficulty, considering he near Alice-proofed it with all the tape. However, it was worth it when I got inside. In it was a ticket for the S.S. Anne. On it, it went on to describe that so long as the ship were still sailing, the card was viable. That was a pretty confident guarantee, if I do say so myself. I'd have to do something like wait 20 years before using it, while frustrating numerous employees there in the process.

I smiled again. "Oh, wow!" I exclaimed.

"So, you like it?" He asked.

I nodded enthusiastically, though not even before I was done, another give was thrown onto me. This time, by the Birch Family. Brendan smiled happily. "Go on!"

I did just that, finding one of the fold up bicycles I'd heard so much about in Goldenrod inside. I had no idea how, but these things could compress to ridiculously small sizes. It was hard to believe that the man selling them had reportedly had a hard time doing so for a while.

"This'll save a lot of time!" I exclaimed. "Thanks a bunch!" I spoke.

Brendan have an acknowledging nod before going and sitting back down, taking with Wally.

So, as time passed by, I ended up receiving a case of various TM's from my parents, HM 03 and a gift card for 10000 at any mart from Wally and his family, a beautiful locket from Melissa, then both a Water and a Leaf Stone from Mr. Stone. It was honestly more than I could have ever asked for. Being with all my friends was enough – to me, this was over the top.

I wouldn't complain though. Everyone seemed to be having a great time.

Then... Last was Steven, though by this point, most the attention was on a rerun of some contests; ironically featuring my performance as Red back at Fallarbor. The dress, over the television, was less than appealing. The... I could have sworn Will stole a few knowing glances at me, as though trying to possibly figure out if it was me under the mask. Figures, seeing the masked man trying to unmask me.

I suppose he had a reason for his, though. As a child, he'd almost lost an eye to an angry Scyther, and had a small scar running down from his eyebrow, down to just below his eye. Having seen him without it, I still know he looked devilishly handsome, but he just wouldn't go on without it.

Steven went and tapped me on the shoulder, catching my attention. "Come on. I have your present outside." He spoke.

I smiled and got up, my curiosity getting the better of me. That, and Will was starting to unnerve me. I didn't exactly know his prowess as a psychic, yet, and I wasn't about to find out. The last thing I wanted was him invading my mind and blurting out my identity to the world.

Making my way outside to the backyard, I gasped.

There stood... Er... _Floated_ a Metang, eying me with an innocent curiously. I walked up it it and clasped it's would be face in my hands.

Steven chuckled a bit. "So, do you like it?" He asked, seeming nervous as to my reaction. "I mean, I meant to give them to you as a Beldum... But when I was training them to be around the same level as you..."

I cut him off. "Oh, quiet you. Yes, I love them!" I assured him.

Steven smiled happily, hand me it's ball; which was colored so that where the red regularly was it was silver.

Taking the ball, I looked at the levitating Iron Claw Pokemon and smiled. "Welcome to the team, Metang." I spoke, bringing it back to the ball.

…

I was relieved that I managed to get Alice to her surprise birthday party without a hitch, and even happier when I found out she was thrilled about getting the Metang I had raised for her during the last few days while getting everything organized with Norman.

In addition to that, I'd been researching Team Magma and Aqua... Bet seeing that happy expression of hers blew the thoughts out of my mind.

Now, however, I'd been shoved into her room by Karen and was being forced to play a game of truth or dare with Karen, Will, Wally, Brendan and Melissa. Thank god her parents weren't up here. I could only imagine the fuss they'd made in seeing Melissa dare poor Wally to kiss Karen. The boy almost had an attack right there, but she seemed understand enough; pecking him on the lips instead. His head was so red I thought it was going to pop.

Next it was my turn, having just been dared by Melissa to eat an odd combination of salted cream mixed with orange juice. In truth; I almost vomited on the spot, but it was worth it. I was still at three 'lives'.

Looking at Will, I smiled. Finished a small kiss with Melissa, he looked at me like a deer in headlights.

"Truth or dare?" I asked.

He gulped. "Dare."

I grinned. "Staring contest with your Xatu. Right now." I spoke. I could have come up with much worse, but I wasn't in a mood for anything like watching him drop a tray of ice cubes down his pants.

…

It was a good ten minutes later when Will finally cracked; his eyes looking more pink than white. He looked odd without his mask, and I felt bad now, seeing that he was self conscious without it. Melissa cooed over him as his Xatu sat in the corner of the room, though we paid no attention to it. It was like another piece of furniture.

Will looked at Brendan, slipping his mask back on. "Truth or dare."

Brendan gulped. "Dare."

Will grinned. "Next time you need to use the washroom, you have to ask Karen." He spoke. Figures, seeing that Brendan had kept eying Karen, apparently with a crush. In addition to this, he'd just drank about three cans of pop on a previous dare, which also so happened to be included in a dare _from Will_.

Brendan sighed. "Alright. Alice, truth or dare?" He asked.

She swallowed nervously, the poor thing. "... Dare..."

He grinned. "Go with Steven. Closet. You know what to do."

Both Alice and I spat out our drink, both shouting in unison. "What!"

He laughed. "For ten minutes."

Nervously, she lifted herself up, eying me. I also got up, walking with her and into her closet, which was stacked with boxes. I was a larger one, though with the both of us inside with the boxes, it hardly seemed like it.

One we were in, Karen shut the door and turned to me. "Don't worry. From the time I was here, I know its near soundproof. They won't know we're not doing anything." She spoke, though not hinting what would have usually hinted in what she just said.

Then, however, a voice boomed from outside, belonging to none other than Karen. "No it isn't!" She shouted. "Now get busy, you love birds!"

The both of us swore under our breath, laughing at the opposite when we heard each other.

After a short pause, Alice looked up at me nervously. "Well, it is my dare... So..." She trailed off, quickly leaning into me and pecking me on the lips shyly before I could even react. It was actually pretty cute.

But, it had snapped that lat tine little string in what was once a large, hefty rope keeping me from letting my true feelings for her shine through. Unable to stand it anymore, I leaned down to her and brought my lips onto her own, causing her to jump nervously at first. However, she soon got into it, hooping her own arms around my neck as I brought mine around her waist.

After a couple minutes, we separated, both taking a deep breath. There being just the slightest bit of light in the small room, I could see her smiling shyly.

"Steven, this isn't the place, but..." She trailed off, her arms wrapped around herself. "I... I think I love you..." She spoke.

I smiled. "Alice..." I spoke, resting my head gently on hers while bringing my arms around her once more and closing my eyes. "I love you too." I spoke, feeling happier than I ever had.

It wasn't the most romantic of places, but hey. It worked.

Just then, the closet opened, everyone crowding around it. At once, Karen and Brendan stood there. "See! I told you it would work, kiddo!" She spoke, high-fiving him.

He grinned unenthusiastically. "Yeah, and it's not kiddo." He mused.

Both Alice and I blushed and laughed nervously, leaving the closet with out hands intermingles with one and other. It was hard to believe that that one girl I'd met back when because she needed a room was here with me now, like this.

I had a gut feeling this was the start of something beautiful.


	25. Chapter 25

**FFFFFF I'M SO SORRY!**

So, I owe you all an explanation, fist off all. So, you see... I was NOT in the mood to write for a while, and then, well... I was actually socially busy for once in my life. For the past few days, I've been out gallivanting with my friends.

So, I'll try to give more a heads up next time I go and leave this for a week. You guys have been so good to me... You deserve at least that. ;n;

Also, sorry for errors. They're always there... but they may be a tad worse this time around, my having been a little less thorough for the sake of getting this up as fast as I could.

* * *

I slowly came to my senses; my eyes slowly prying open as I tilted my head slowly to look around my room.

It was a mess. Plates, cups and cans were everywhere, the furniture that had been set out this far having had been shoved everywhere. Then, to top it off; my two best friends; Karen and Melissa were sleeping on top of me; Karen laying on top of my stomach and Melissa across my legs.

I sighed as I slowly made my away out from under the two, happy the both were extremely heavy sleepers. You see; we called Karen 'Jaws' in the morning. Enough said. Then Melissa, well. If you woke her up too early, she had a tenancy to be whiny and a little grumpy. Not anything near as bad as Karen, but it was nice to avoid it if possible. Will would see to it that I suffered if he had to put up with that all day. I knew it.

Smiling as I miraculously made my way out from under the two and hopped off the bed, I trudged similar as to how I thought a zombie might down the halls and down the stairs, finding Steven passed out on the couch.

I smiled, my cheeks heating up a bit. It was hard to comprehend that I was actually with _him_. The de facto Champion and son of one of the most wealthy people in this region was interested in _me_! It wasn't like any of the above much mattered to me, but it made me feel all the more special that someone who could pick almost anyone they wanted to would go for me.

Deciding to leave him be, I quickly made my way to a bowl my mom kept the bananas in, picking one up and beginning to eat. As I did that, I filled up the kettle and plugged it in while I took out a cup, throwing a tea bag inside. I hated coffee, but I was the same way any coffee addict was about their coffee with my tea. Especially with the knowledge that I got to make my own today just the way I liked it. Then, to top it off, my mother had this amazing cream that tasted like hazelnuts.

In a few minutes, I sat at the kitchen table, drinking my tea and eating a chocolate chip muffin I'd gone and found, after I finished the banana. I was surprised to see it was still pretty early; 6:30, though it was no surprise to know that my father was already out at his gym, judging my the absence of his shoes at the door.

Just then, Absol came sauntering into the kitchen, making its way over to me and eying the half eaten muffing with the cutest look I'd ever seen it wear. I narrowed my eyes at it, but it only went on to further the act by putting one of its large paw on my lap, saying its name in a light tone while eying me with a look so sweet it almost sparkled.

I gave in, lowering the pastry down it its level. "Oh, fine you mooch. Here." I spoke.

In only moments, the food was gone. Absol went to go on and walk about some more, but I stood up and caught up to it, smiling. "Don't you go and think I'm letting you go that easily." I spoke. "You and I are going for a walk. My mom... The softie. She's probably being spoiling you rotten. I don't want you to get fat."

It gave me an incredulous look, but I eyed it with an expression that let it know it wasn't getting out of this one with a cute look. It huffed as it followed me out the door after I got my shoes on. Yes; I realize I hadn't gotten dressed, but it was still dark out and I was already wearing my clothes from last night; having been to lazy to change. However; I'd been wise enough to tie my hair up into a ponytail. So, I looked like a mess, but you couldn't see it through the darkness, thank god.

…

After wandering around for about an hour, I decided I'd honestly seen all there was to see. I'd strolled down the lake a little bit; a Barboach coming out just long enough to try and spray me. Luck being on my side of the coin this time, however, it missed, jumping back into the water so soon as it realized this. I had no idea what it was trying to accomplish in aiming at me, but with my good mood, I decided to let it go. What could I do anyways? Have Milotic hunt it down?

After this, Sableye had come on and found me, tagging along with me and Absol as it scampered to my right side, opposite to Absol. Absol didn't want it anywhere near it after the birthday hat incident. This being so, I presumed the mischievous Darkness Pokemon had something to do with the hat that had been placed in Absol's head.

I had expected to see Gardevoir minding its own business as well, though halfway through my stroll I remembered my mother saying something along the lines of it being out at Professor Birch's laboratory to make sure its arm was well looked after.

Finished looking around the small town, even having passed by the path to route 101 where Ninetales and I had out first battle and past the small field where I'd 'caught' it, I walked back to my house; both Dark Pokemon still by my side.

It being 7:30; it really wasn't a surprise to see my mother up now, at the kitchen table with a glass of coffee. She was one again watching a showing of one of my contests.

Noticing me, she looked up and smiled. "Ah! Alice. You know a few things about being a coordinator now, me always talking about it." She began, motioning for the television. "What do you say? Does this Red have style, or what?" She asked.

I was surprised, but kept this hidden. Looking at the screen, I shrugged. "Oh, I don't know... Maybe they could be a little bore sublime in their appeals and battles. You know; Float like a butterfly, _sting like a bee...?" I spoke, critiquing myself as I went along with the lie. It was true though – maybe I needed to make my appeals a little more showy._

_She laughed. "Maybe... But I think part of their style is that tomboyish style of theirs." She admitted._

_I laughed along. "Maybe..."_

_My mother perked up once more. "Alice... I was wondering..." She began, turning to me. "You see – a few of us old things here got together and organized a small contest here." She spoke. I had a feeling I wasn't going to like what she was about to say, but remained quiet. "Would you join in? It'll be a petite crowd, and a face like yours there would do wonders for publicity." She spoke._

_I frowned. "Mom, I'd love to... But... The thought of getting on stage makes me want to cry." I reminded her. _

_"Well then, maybe ____Red__ would put on a show for us...?" She asked coyly, smiling cleverly as she took a sip of her coffee. ____The sly old coot__._

_I narrowed my eyes. "How many people have you told?" I asked, my voice hushed._

_She chucked. "None if you sign in." It was funny, hearing my mother blackmail others. She seemed pretty innocent at first, but she had a mischievous side that surfaced every now and again. When she was a teen, she was actually pretty bad sometimes. Something she was really embarrassed about when brought up by my dad. _

_I sighed, defeated. "Fine, fine. You win." I admitted. "Who'll be judging? I doubt Contesta is coming down here." I said, going to the fridge and taking out a can of diet cola, opening it and quickly drinking its contents._

_She giggled. "Well, Joy from Oldale, Mr. Stone and Mrs. Birch." She began. "And we've actually gotten out little contest recognized by Contesta the Pokemon Contest director. We'll be handing out a legit ribbon to the winner." She spoke._

_"Okay." I agreed. "What about you? Are you entering?" I asked._

_She shone a smile all too similar to my own. "With Altaria. We've been practicing too, so watch it, kiddo." She warned. "Mom may have sagged and wrinkled over the years, but her Pokemon are still up to snuff." She went on. I could tell that she was really looking forwards to this. And, with her Pokemon in their forties, she'd prove to be quite the challenge if I had to fight them. I knew for a fact that her Altiaria's Sky Attack wasn't anything to be messed with. If it wasn't for that insane Slaking dad had, she'd probably pull a win over him._

_"Well, then. I'm off to dad's gym to see if I can pry a badge out from his hands." I began, heading for the door. "Wish me luck."_

_She smiled and waved. "Luck."_

_…_

_I sighed, happy to have made it to my father's gym. It was a really nice one, looking at its design for the first time. Much like a fighting dojo, actually. Fitting, I suppose. I really did think some days that he seemed more like a fighting type user than a Normal typed._

_Walking in, I quickly ran my strategy through my head. I'd have to be quick, decisive and powerful. No playing around. I'd also have to give him as little time to read me as possible; giving me the advantage because I'd seen him battle before. I'd have to be extremely careful of Slaking, especially. That thing could make waste of a car like nothing if it wanted._

_My father, training with his Vigeroth stopped and looked at me, smiling. "Ah! I always knew the day would come." He started. "So, I take it you're here to challenge me?" He asked._

_I smiled. "No – I'm here for a badge." I spoke in a determined, though friendly tone. I took out Metang's ball; specially colored and readied myself on my side of the stadium._

_Norman smiled. "Now you're talking my language." He spoke, determination evident in him too as he went to his side of the arena. "Jodie!"_

_At once, a girl with long, black hair tied back came to the referee's ares, wearing a red track suit. "Alright! Three on three battle. First one with all Pokemon unusable loses. Plus, only the challenger can switch out." She began. "Everything clear?"_

_Both of us nodded._

_"Then go!"_

_At once, I threw Metang's ball into the air, revealing the dual typed Steel/Psychic type. It let out an odd mechanical cry as it floated in midair, awaiting a command._

_My father, already having his Pokemon out started. "Alright Vigeroth! Use Faint Attack!" He began. _

At once, the Normal Pokemon came rushing at Metang in a zigzag pattern, going on to outright disappear. Then, reappearing, it came from the left and swung at Metang, knocking it back some.

This was good. Now, it was in close range, unable to use Faint Attack effectively. This meant it's only other really good move was Slash. This in mind, I began. "Alright! Metal Claw!"

Metang quickly shook off the attack and slammed its arm into Vigeroth, sending it a couple feet. However, it remained standing, seeming undaunted by the obvious damage having been done. I had to give the crazy thing that much – it knew how to take a hit with stride.

"Alright! Attack with Slash!" Boomed my dad. He seemed to have gotten into the battle pretty quickly.

"And you. Ice Punch!" I countered.

The two Pokemon rushed at each other and began exchanging blows with one and other. My father and I stayed silent while watching the two battle in a manner similar to that of a fist fight, taking swigs at each other and blocking swings from the other. However, in spite of both parties efforts... Metang had an advantage which became clearer and clearer by the second; it taking the Slash attacks like they were nothing, while my father's Vigeroth was clearly beginning to struggle.

Both Pokemon, after an intense fight separated from on and other, staring each other down. Vigeroth panted heavily, while Metang seemed to have changed its overall posture to a tired, sluggish one. If it were actually capable of breathing, I'm sure it would appear just as tired as Vigeroth.

After an intense calm, the Vigor Pokemon predictably fell to the ground, defeated.

The judge spoke. "Vigeroth is unable to battle. Metang is the victor if this round!" She declared, lifting a flag to my side of the field.

My father returned that and raised a brow. "Well, you've come a long way." He commented, taking out a ball. "But... I should expect no less from my own daughter and that Metang there, should I?" She asked, throwing the ball up into the air; revealing a Linloone.

I smiled. "Is that the same as I saw Wally use to catch Ralts?"

He nodded. "Yes – let's see you get around this. You've never seen Linloone battle before."

"Alright then. We'll just see." I began. "Now Metang, let's start this off with a blast of Confusion!" I shouted.

Metang spoke its own name in an electronic voice as it fired a small ray of transparent, multicolored energy at the Pokemon, though it easily dodged. I'd read that it was quickly before, though... Just its build suggested so. I just needed to get the pace started for the battle, and this seemed like a nice move.

"Now! Use Headbutt!"

At once, the mammalian Pokemon came in for a strong attack, rushing with speed that was impressive even for it. Regardless, I would take it down if it was the last thing I did. "Alright. Give it a boost your way with Confusion, then hammer it down with the strongest Metal Claw you can muster." I spoke, smiling deviously.

My father barked for Linloone to avoid, but the pace having already started, it continued rushing at Metang until it hit the Iron Claw Pokemon's fist, sending it into the ceiling, then falling to the floor once more, unmoving.

My father seemed astonished by this win, returning the fainted Pokemon with a near blank look. However, he quickly shed this and eyed me with determination that let me know this wouldn't be a clean cut battle on my part. "That was impressive, getting through the first so easily, but I still have one more..." He spoke, taking out a ball. I took a nervous breath. A good portion of the reason I started this off so strong was to make sure I had everything in me possible for Slaking. This was going to get messy, fast.

Before I knew it, the Lazy Pokemon was out, lolling about as though we were talking casually. Regardless, I knew it had it in it to take down foes exponentially larger.

I sighed. "Alright. Lets get thing rolling with a Metal Claw!" I shouted.

"Use Crush Claw!" Countered my father.

I may have just whitened when he said this. He'd usually saved it for more intense moments in a battle, though it appeared as though he wanted to be done with my Steel/Psychic type as quickly as he could be, it having already posed so much a problem for him.

And done they were. In one mighty, single swoop, Slaking had slammed both its fists into Metang, cratering it into the ground. It went on and became still like Linloone had.

"Metang is unable to battle! Slaking wins the round!" Called the referee.

I brought it back to its ball. "Oh, Metang. You did beautifully. Please, rest." I spoke, taking out my next ball. "Now Cacnea, let's show them up!"

Cacnea arrived on the field in a white flash... Though it seemed to have different ideas than fighting, having casually waddled from its position on the field and to me; wrapping its arms around my leg. I winced and let out a grunt, grabbing the Cactus Pokemon in between thorns and prying it off, putting it down a little before me and ushering it off into the field.

My dad chuckled. "Well, you're going a good job. I mean, they certainly like you."

I narrowed my eyes. "Cacnea, use Leech Seed." I ordered, pointing at the tremendous, lazy Pokemon.

Cacnea gladly did so, throwing forth some seeds, though the attack would be short lived. Norman, smiling issued his next attack. "Now! Hyper Beam!"

I stared, wide eyed as a flash of intense, white light blew the incoming seeds into nothing, hitting Cacnea and sending it hurdling to the back of the gym, cratered much like Metang had been. The difference in power between the two... It was unbelievable.

"Cacnea is unable to battle! Slaking wins the round!" Called the referee. Now things were getting tense. Both of us had but one Pokemon left, each at full health.

I clenched my teeth as I pulled out another ball, throwing it onto the field and revealing Ninetales in a flash of white light. Milotic might have been a good powerhouse... But with its speed, it would never dodge the attacks thrown at it. Ninetales just might.

"Alright! Crush Claw!" Declared my father.

"Block with Iron Tail as best you can!"

At once, the large Pokemon got up and charged at Ninetales. However, Ninetales charged right back, the two attacks meeting with quite a force. Both sent each other back a couple feet, where they eyed each other carefully.

"Okay, then. Hyper Beam!"

"Dodge and use Heat Wave while its busy recharging!"

At once, a beam of intense energy was fired at Ninetales, missing by inches as it ran to the side, blasting the Lazy Pokemon with a stream of fire and scorching wind. While doing this, I scowled inwardly. If I could only use Hypnosis, I could end this... But it would be crazy to send Ninetales in there that close to Slaking. I could only imagine the damage a close up Hyper Beam or a hard Crush Claw would do.

The flames from Ninetales having enveloped Slaking and a portion of the field, we were unaware of an approaching Hyper Beam, catching Ninetales off guard and hitting a couple of its tails. It let out an enraged growling sound as it let out flames near white into Slaking, knocking it back into the fire. The gym was getting pretty hot pretty fast, and soon fans similar to the ones used in Lavaridge City Gym were activated.

The crackling of the fire muffling my father's voice, I had no way to tell that the tank-like Pokemon was coming out from the flames, and when I did, it was too late to call out a counter. Instead, the Pokemon brought its fist into Ninetales's hip, sending it spinning back.

I sighed. There was no way Dad's Pokemon could survive another attack. "Alright! Heat Wave one more! With everything you can muster!"

Ninetales stood there for a moment, as though brewing up the most intense flames it could before shooting a solid jet of white flames forth from its mouth, engulfing Slaking in an instant. Then, seeming to hold a grudge for having had its tails hit by Hyper Beam, Ninetales continued its assault, running at the Slaking which fumbled about clumsily as it burned by repeatedly using Iron Tail to bash it around.

A few minutes of this did it. Letting out a final cry, Slaking fell to its knees, then onto its stomach, defeated. Having gone through the battle, it was honestly like watching the defeat of a cheesy, oversized monster in some old film.

Jodie brought up the flag to my side, smiling a bit. "Slaking is unable to battle! The challenger is the winner!"

My dad brought out Slaking's ball and called it back, congratulating it on its battle. And for good reason. It took out two of my Pokemon, and was almost through with the third.

I called back Ninetales as well. I'd walk with it to the center, but its hip... I didn't want to have it hurt itself even more. And with pride on its level, it would sooner stay quiet while a leg was being hacked off than make a fuss and be called on it. I made sure to congratulate it on its amazing feat as well.

Smiling, my dad made his way to me, being handed a small case with red satin covering; the badge in the middle. He offered it to me and I gladly took it, clenching the badge in my hands in front of me.

"Well," Began my dad. "It looks like I don't need to to worry as much as I think I do." He started. "its just... So weird, my own daughter having surpassed me." He admitted, seeming as though he were having a difficult time finding the correct words.

I giggled. "Well, it feels a little odd, having beat the man when I always thought as a child '_When I grow up, I want to be as strong as dad!_' Now look, I've actually gotten there..." I trailed off, pinning the badge onto the strap of my bag with the four others. That was five. Three more to go. It was unnerving, thinking so.

"Well, why don't you and I get back to the center to heal our Pokemon?" He asked. "We can get something to eat there while we're at it."

I nodded happily. Things were good with my father, I'd earned my first badge and I was 'together' with Steven. Things seemed perfect. "Yeah, I'd like that." I spoke, following my father who'd begun the pace.

…

I woke up, aware of some busting around me. Opening my eyes, I caught eye of Alice's mom... Marianne, was it? She was collecting some of the dishes idly, handing some to a Haunter I presumed to be hers which went on to help her take them away into the kitchen. The house being open concept, made this all the easier for the two of them, Marianne taking whatever she had halfway, while Haunter took them the rest of the way.

Now I knew where Alice got her choice in Pokemon from. A Pokemon said to be from a different dimension altogether that saps the life force out of victims its stalks during the night with a single lick, leaving them to shake until their demise. This had to be worse than any of Alice's Pokemon, that was for sure. Absol, even...

Glancing at me, she smiled. "Ah! You're awake!" She spoke.

I nodded, sitting up, making sure the light blanket was still wrapped around me. The sun... Judging by it, it was only around 9:00AM. So, I hadn't overslept.

Marianne spoke up once more. "I'm sorry if I woke you, its just... I want to make sure I get this all cleaned soon. I'm having a couple friends over later, and I'd die of embarrassment if they saw my house like this!" She exclaimed. She seemed far more extroverted than Alice, that was for sure.

I waved my hands dismissively. "No, no. If anything, you did me a favor. I would have probably slept 'till two in the morning. My dad would strangle me if he caught me sleeping that late." I went on, smiling. He'd gotten back home with an Abra he'd gotten through a trade for his Shroomish with the very same Devon employee Alice met in the forest. He seemed to enjoy the quick mode of transport, and the Abra seemed to enjoy how lax my father was, letting it sleep all the time.

Alice on my mind, my cheeks were probably a bit pink. It was hard to thing that _she_ was with _me_. I mean, sure... I probably had thousands of girls in Hoenn to choose from... But her, being so honest, kind and liking me for _me_... She was the first girl I'd ever met like that. Well... Of my general age group.

"So... Alice..." I began, my cheeks only going on to further betray me.

Her mother laughed. "Ah, yes. My daughter had good tastes. Karen told me so." She teased. "I approve so long as you make her happy, and I'm sure Norman will as well, though he's likely to give you a little bit of a hard time here and there." She admitted. "But... I'll keep it secret for a little while of you want." She spoke, smiling.

I laughed. "Uh... Thanks, I suppose." I spoke, awkward of the entire situation. "Anyways... I'm just going to go run to the center go get breakfast... I'll be back..."

She grabbed my arm and pulled me off the couch and up into the kitchen. "No you don't – I'm not letting you eat there!" She spoke, determined. "You're eating here if I have to buckle you to the chair!" She went on, seating me and beginning to make a meal.

I laughed at the energetic mother. _I could get used to a family like this._


	26. Chapter 26

Well, I'm sorry once again for the delay. I've... Been socially active. A lot. It's really surprising for me.

Anyways – I'm sorry for the long amounts of time I've forced you all to wait for the last few chapters... But, I'd like to kindly tell you all that while I am a gargantuan geek who usually has nothing better to do than write about fictional boys, I am a real person with a social life, no matter how minuscule it may be. This being so, I may run into some delays here and there.

I write the following just to remind you all I can't always update in two days. Regardless, I'll still try my best! Thank you all for putting up with me and cheering me on!

Also... I've been thinking of doing a sort of non-canon interview chapter for some time. Please include in your message if you think it's a good, or bad idea. I don't want to go and do this knowing nobody will read, or that people are going to think I'm even weirder than I am for posing something like this. Keep in mind you don't have to be registered to leave a review!

Okay, I'm done jabbering on now. Please enjoy! (And sorry for any errors!)

* * *

The next few days went by exceptionally fast. I guess the saying 'time flies by when you're having fun' really is true.

All of my friends had left the day after the party. Brendan, too. I'd been told that he'd reportedly gone and started collecting the badges himself. I was surprised he hadn't, actually – he was pretty good, even if I'd beaten him every match we'd had. I was sure he'd do great. Not to underestimate any one of the leaders, but I was sure he'd ace all of them up to my father. Thereon... He might be in for a little trouble.

I yawned, leaning in on Steven as the both of us watched the small lake behind my house. The sun was just rising, and the both of us had been unable to sleep. I had my head on his shoulder, of coarse, and he wasn't arguing at all, occasionally taking a peek at me. It seemed as though this little awkward thing might actually be starting to vanish. It was about time. I mean, yes. We'd only been dating for a couple days, but I'd loved him for a while longer, and thought of him as a good friend even before that. Thinking we were so silly around each other was ridiculous.

I smiled. "This is so much nicer than the mother time you and I were at that lake near Mauville." I spoke, content.

He chuckled a bit. "Oh? What? You didn't like the things you fished up?" He asked, his voice lined with a teasing tone.

"Psh. First of all – I didn't even fish up Feebas. It was swept up by a high wave and I tagged it with a ball. Second of all... I hardly call a tattered porno mag a nice catch." I spoke.

The both of us smiled, looking out into the distance once more. I felt like an old couple you might see in a commercial, sitting in a swinging seat on their porch. It was cheesy, but I liked it. Who didn't like cheese?

"So, I heard your mom's having a contest here later on today." He began. I mentally stabbed him for wrecking my good mood. "Are you coming to watch?"

I sighed. If I were to be in a relationship with him and expect him to be open with me, I'd best be open with him. Besides – I hardly pictured him as being the type to go telling everyone he knew... And as odd as it was, I was content with the idea of him seeing me in a contest. After all, he'd already seem me battle. Smiling, I decided to be witty about it.

Having my bag with me, I pulled out my mask and put it on, turning to him with a small grin. "What are you kidding? A contest? Red's in." I spoke.

He laughed a but, turning to me. "You're serious? You're this 'Red' person?" He asked.

I blushed a bit. "Well, yeah." I spoke. "Think of it. Was I ever around when Red was in a contest?" I asked. "I think not. Steven Stone isn't the only one who can be sneaky." I teased.

He laughed at my comment. "Oh? And who's your star Pokemon this time?" He asked.

I smiled. "I'm thinking I'm going to give Milotic a shot. Beautiful, serene, and backed up by some serious power." I described, getting caught up. "I think I'm going to have Milotic combine Water Pulse and Twister to make a whirlpool in the center of the stage. Then... In my battle rounds... Well, Recover will be a huge milestone for my opponents." I went on.

Steven laughed at my enthusiasm. "Well, you sound like you have everything planned out. Care to show me your plan?" He asked, eying me with pleading eyes.

I rolled my own. "Oh, fine! You and Absol with your puppy-dog eyes." I grumbled, letting Milotic out into the lake. It seemed to enjoy the water, swimming around a bit before coming to the surface, looking at me happily. It was funny, considering I caught them for the sole purpose of getting out from that lake back then, completely unaware of the fact that I'd seriously found a great addition to my party.

I grinned. "Alright. Let's give Steven here a preview of our contest appeal." I began. "Don't worry about your Water Pulse, though – you already have a lake." I added.

I cried out its own name as it created a powerful twister that spun on the lake for a bit, picking up water. I'd made sure to ask Milotic to put its all into the twister technique, and it really paid off. The moves looked pretty strong.

Having accomplished this much, Milotic; unseen, went on into the center where it began to use Recover; its silhouette glowing white as it unleashed another Twister from inside to dispel the original, leaving Milotic in the center.

Steven clapped, causing my cheeks to warm up. "I really have to get Wallace to meet you one day. He'll think you're amazing." He laughed. "Especially with the hair! Keep it away from him or he'd going to have you looking like some old fashioned doll with ringlets."

I furrowed a brow and frowned. "Been there, done that. At Mt. Chimney, remember?" I asked. "I'd had a contest just before that and tried that out to help with my look. It sucked." I spoke. "I reeked of perfume and they were a royal pain."

He laughed. "Yeah, I remember that. It's just... It wasn't the first think I was concerned with back then." He explained, smiling.

I laughed a bit, slumping back onto the tree. I really did like him. It was probably silly of me, feeling so attached to him. I mean, looking at how many teens actually end up staying together... The odds weren't promising.

Though... I suppose I'd rather have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. And, who knew. Maybe we would stay together. I mean, the chances were slim...

I shook my head for getting my hopes up. It was safer to keep myself expecting the worse sometimes. I sighed, uncertain as to what I should make of the dilemma. Chances were, I was just thinking too much. I'd just have to do my best being me. If that didn't work, well then. It wasn't meant to be. A bit of a depressing reality, but that's exactly what it was. Reality.

Steven looked at me curiously. "Hm? Something the matter?"

I smiled. I didn't want to have to plague him with thoughts like mine, so I thought I'd brighten the mood a little. "Yeah, actually. While you were looking the other way, I undressed you with my eyes. It isn't looking too promising." I spoke, my voice as casual as I could keep it.

He seemed taken back my my crude comment, but quickly smiled. "Well, it looks like you have a bad imagination. I'm betting I look a thousand times better than anything you thought." He teased.

I decided to leave it at that to avoid any potentially awkward situations. "Yeah, yeah. Sure." I spoke dismissively.

He made a pouting gesture. "Well, you couldn't take your eyes off of me at the hot springs!" He interjected.

I smiled deviously. "Yeah, well. I didn't exactly see _all_ of you back then. Now that my eyes have done their work... Well, there isn't too much to see, really." I spoke, keeping a playful time to my voice.

He furrowed a brow. "Don't make me prove you wrong." He threatened, faking the cheesiest seductive voice he could have possibly come up with.

"Psh! Boys! Always ready to take their pants off!" I exclaimed.

"I wasn't the one undressing my boyfriend with my eyes!"

I rolled my eyes. "You'd think you were a little more used to all of this with fangirls pretty much ready to undress themselves in front of you." I spoke, laughing a bit at the one girl who'd asked for an autograph on her chest. If Steven and I ever did stay together, well. He'd be hearing about that one until the end.

"You try being champion! You'd probably have creepy men ready to pounce on you around every corner you turned!"

I laughed a but, letting myself fall into his lap, smiling up it him. "Well, I suppose that's why I have you now, isn't it?" I asked.

He laughed, bringing his hand down along my crimson hair. It seemed as though he always wanted to play with it, and frankly, I liked it. It was just a little amusing, is all. "I suppose it is." He answered.

…

Steven and I stayed there for a while more before heading back. My mother and I went crazy, getting everything ready for ourselves. I was initially going to go on and wear my pirate-like outfit, but she protested, forcing me into the dress I now called the burnt marshmallow. It was fiery red, and it was poofy like a marshmallow. I suppose I'd have to let Ninetales at it later.

After this, we went on to the stadium, Steven going on to take a seat in the bleachers. He'd made sure to crowd himself around some people he'd learned were from Sinnoh, thus unaware of his being champion.

I, myself, now stood before the crowd, all squeezed into the small stadium. Regardless of size, however... It was magnificently built. It was odd of me to notice so, but I had thought that this place would be far less... Grand than the other places my Pokemon had gone and preformed.

"Alright! Now let's see what Red has in store for us today!" Began the announcer. I was told by my mother that the woman was named Darian, often going on to help out with town events as a spokesperson. They seemed nice enough, being a little younger than my mother with a light brown bob cut, wearing a ed sweater with a black skirt.

"Stage time, Milotic!" I called out, letting out the Tender Pokemon, who let out a beautiful cry that echoed through the stadium. The crowd was pretty quiet; all eyes on the magnificent water Pokemon. I suppose it really was something to have one.

"Alright. Let's get this show on the road with Twister!" I began.

Immediately, Milotic created a tornado which whirled around it; shrouding it from the eyes of the crowd, in addition to stirring a wind which whirled around the stadium. Then on, well aware of what to do, carried on without my command, sending a gentle Water Pulse to the ground below it which was drawn into the strong air current. The show was near identical to that I'd given Steven on the lake, though it looked even more powerful than then, perhaps given power by Milotic's inspiration of the crowd.

I allowed the current of water to flow before me for a few moment before I decided it was time to initiate part two of Milotic's performance. "Alright! Now, let's wrap this up!"

At once Milotic began to use Recover. This being done; a bright figure of light could be seen at the base of the vortex. Then on, from inside, Milotic used Twister once more counter clockwise to break up the previous attack, which went the opposite direction. Having done this, the attack stopped, water slowly coming to a halt around Milotic, who stopped using Recover seconds after the tunnel of water had dissipated.

Waiting for a moment, the two of us then took a bow, signaling the end of our performance, the crowd went wild, a smile appearing on my face as I made my way across the stage, bowing with Milotic.

"A beautiful performance! Now, let's see if our judges were was wooed as me!" Began Darian, looking at the screen and awaiting a score.

At once, 28 appeared on the screen. My face immediately brightened up, happy with such a solid score, making my way back to the waiting room where my mother waited, seeming giddy to see me.

"Al..." She stopped herself on time, realizing that she was about to mistakenly call out my name. "Er, I mean Red! That was amazing!" She exclaimed, hugging me tightly. I flailed a but; her hug being exceptionally tight but gave in, realizing my efforts to be futile. "It looks like you were listening to me when I was raving about my contests after all!"

I laughed. "And speaking of them, it'd your turn. You and Altaria show those judges something else!" I encouraged, separating myself from my mom and putting my hands on her shoulders, giving her a confident look..

My having said this, she looked up at the screen, noting her picture was evident on the screen behind Darian. "Oh! Well, I'll do that!" She assured me, making her way to the stage, soon appearing on the screen.

A minute later, my mother made it to the stage, running out and calling out her Altaria. "Alright! Begin with Mist!" She started, her voice loud and confident.

Altaria, seeming well trained in this appeal went in to let out a foggy haze which went on to shroud itself from the sights of its viewers. I watched carefully, wondering what she was up to. The point of a contest was to accentuate the beauty of one's Pokemon. I knew she wasn't an amateur and knew this very well, so I was extremely curious as to what she planned on pulling off.

The fog having set, my mother went on. "Alright! Now, use Perish Song!" She began. My eyes widened a bit. That attack was different, especially in a contest.

Altaria, without second thoughts let out a series of majestic, almost sad cries from within the fog, its silhouette seen flying idly around the cloud like substance around it on occasion. Understanding now that this was an appeal meant to be of a sort of mystic and sad feel, I smiled. It was amazing, that was for sure. The cry... It brought about a sort of sadness, as Perish Song caused the Pokemon using it pain. Regardless, my mother... She was well vised, and I trusted she knew Altaria's limits.

"Now, wrap it up!"

This having been said, Altaria quickly emerged from the top of the haze, its glowing wing folded in close to it when it did. Then, in a split second, it spread out its wings, using the oddest version of Sky Attack I'd ever seen used to blow the Mist underneath it away as though it only took a simply breath.

Done, Altaria few before my mother, perched happily. The crowd cheered even louder than it had with me, bringing both happiness and a bit of jealousy. I was ecstatic to seem my mother do so well... But I couldn't help but wish I was the one having done so well.

In a moment, her score was displayed on the board. A sky high 29.

I was so busy marveling the score I'd just seen I nearly had a heart attack when my mother spoke from beside me. She didn't waste a second getting back down to the waiting room. "Well, it looks like Altaria and I still have it! Five years and we can still pull that off!" She exclaimed.

I smiled. "I knew you were good, but mom. I'm going to be in an awful situation if I have to fight you!'" I exclaimed.

She laughed a bit. "Don't underestimate yourself. You're not too far off from me." She admitted.

I was about to reply, but the announcer came on over the television. "Alright! That concludes our beginning round! Now, let's see why made it to the finals!" They began; the scoreboard blown up over the television.

At once, my mother's face appeared, followed by mine and a few other trainers. However, one more caught my eye. Te same trainer I'd fought who'd owned a Delcatty back in Dewford was here, having made it in seventh place. This time, however, it was shown that they had used a Seviper. It would be a fitting battle, two serpents fighting against on and other if we were matched up.

And we were. We'd be the first battling round.

I had an odd gut feeling, but ignored it, turning to my mother. "Alright. Let's see how I do." I spoke, smiling weakly. She nodded encouragingly as I made my way out from the room, down the dim, tunnel like halls and into the mail room, where the girl I'd battled last time stood. She had the same pretty blond hair, beautiful green dress and a prim, green hat stood.

She smiled in a way that reminded me much like a snake; fitting, with her choice in Pokemon. It appeared as though she wasn't as innocent as she made herself out to me. "Just you wait. I'll make you pay for showing me and my dear Delcatty up in Dewford." She hissed.

I decided it was best to ignore her threat and feign a kind sort of happiness. "I'm sorry for embarrassing you – but this is a competitive battle. I simply did was any coordinator did and battled to the best of my abilities. Plus, your Delcatty did wonderfully, it alm..."

She interrupted me. "Shut it. Save that sympathy for yourself when we floor you." She snapped.

My mouth remained agape for a moment, but I quickly regained my composure.

Darian, seeing the two of us having finished began. "Alright! So, onto the battling rounds!" They began. "The competitors will battle each other until either one Pokemon faints, someone's points or down, or – if time runs out; the coordinator with the highest amount of points!" She spoke. "Are the competitors ready?"

Both of us, while eying each other nodded.

I quickly hurdled Milotic's ball out into the field, revealing the gorgeous Tender Pokemon. They let out a cry which echoed through the stadium.

The trainer on the other end; Becky, so I'd just learned by looking up at the board, sent out her Seviper which eyed me and Milotic as though plotting, letting out a hissing noise as it swayed its trademark tail back and forth, rhythmically as though anxious to sink it to either of us. It gave me the creeps. I shouldn't be this worried over a little thing like this when I'd slept in a house with a Pokemon that could kill with a single lick until recently.

I decided it would be best if I began the offense. "Alright! Begin with Twister!" I ordered, pointing at the Fang Snake Pokemon.

Milotic obediently did so, letting a Twister loose from its tail at the Poison Pokemon. It wasn't a very strong one, but I suppose Milotic had the same in mind as myself. We both wanted to test their power.

"Counter that attack with Flamethrower!" She commanded.

I raised a brow, but decided not to think much of the attack. I mean, if it worked, that meant a deduction of points on my part. So, I had nothing real to worry about. And as expected, the attack worked, creating a whirling cyclone of fire heading towards Milotic.

"Alright. Ping Pong it is!" I began, smiling with determination. "Use Mirror Coat!"

At that command, Milotic spread the fins on its tail and reflected the attack back with two times the power, engulfing the Seviper in flames. However, Becky seemed to have drawn simple fuel for what was her fiery rage, belting a command in spite of Seviper's likely injuries.

"Use Iron Tail! Go!"

I didn't expect much, but let out a gasp as, from the flames, the Fang Snake Pokemon emerged, with the aim as mad as the Mawile that had gone and hit poor Vivian's hair back in a previous contest.

Then, before I could take another breath, I was laying on the stage floor; a heated pain throbbing in the side of my head,

I got up, my face towards the crowd as I shakily brought by hand up to my head, taking it away when I felt something wet and warm. Blood. Not too much, but enough to let me know the cut wasn't something too tiny. Looking back at the ground, I saw a little splatter of the liquid that brought me life. Not too surprising, really...

Then, I froze. My mask... It was on the ground.

I looked up at the crowd who murmured quietly, tears filling my eyes as I began to breath faster and deeper, my head becoming light. I felt my heart beating so hard it felt like it was about to burst. I was visibly shaking and I felt a sensation that was both cold and hot.

I could only look at the crowd that looked back at me. I couldn't tell what they thought. I was pathetic, sitting here like this. In the middle of a stage. I felt like a helpless little girl that had tripped up.

Darian spoke in the background, but their voice was muffled to me. I couldn't really hear anything coherently a this point. Everything was one, big muffled murmur.

Then, something in me snapped.

I brought Milotic back to its ball faster than I ever had for any Pokemon and ran out from the stadium faster than a Ninjask could fly, escaping through a Fire Exit. I quickly made my way into a serious of bushes behind the buildings where I quickly fell to my knees and leaned on a tree, letting the tears fall freely while trying to get a breath though the suffocated feeling about me.

I'd just gone and let the entire world know who I was in the most embarrassing way I could. It was almost guaranteed a nice snapshot of me crying would be all over the newspaper with a catchy, derogatory title above it. I'd never be able to go out again without people asking me "Aren't you that Red? The Coordinator?" and...

So far as I was concerned, my life was in shambles.

I wasn't aware of how long I was there when I heard a stepping behind me, turning around like a scared mouse to see who it was.

Coming through the bushes, Steven looked down at me, both sympathetic and worried. "Alice..." He began, seeming at a loss for words.

I leaped up and wrapped my arms around him as though I, myself, were using bind, letting out a torrent of unyielding sobs. This... My worst fear... In front of _everyone_ in my home town. I most have looked pathetic with that look as though I were in the headlights for an incoming vehicle. I should have stayed for Milotic... But it was too late, now. I'd brought it back to the ball, signaling my defeat.

That Becky bitch would move on.

Steven brought his hand along my hair, going on to rest his chin gently on my head, hugging me tightly. He was surprisingly quiet... But, that was alright. I just needed a shoulder to cry on. I just hoped I didn't stain his back coat with my tears.

…

I watched as the Seviper which Milotic was fighting came from the small fire on the floor and viciously slammed its tail into Alice's head. She actually flew back a few feet; blood splattering just a bit as she hit the ground with a small thud the echoed through the small building. What shocked me most, however, was her mask having fallen off, laying beside her.

To top things off, the people in charge of cameras _zoomed up_ on her face, as seen in the large screen atop the stage so we could see. It was pathetic of them, taking advantage of her like this. I mean, the attack... She was lucky if she didn't suffer from serious injuries! And they wanted to _film_ this? It was simply barbaric! It was a fricking contest!

I didn't even notice that I had stood up when she rose so she was sitting, noting the blood on her head before noticing her mask was gone; tears evident as she looked horrified.

Taking Milotic back to its ball, she bolted from the stadium, faster than I'd ever seen her move, automatically letting this Becky kid win the match.

Frankly, I wouldn't have been surprised if she'd pulled off such a move on purpose. Judging my their unheard discussion and their mannerisms in it; it seemed as though they were on bad terms with each other.

I would have gone and personally given her a piece of my mind, but I had to pull myself away from the urge to snap her in half, instead running down the bleachers towards the exit, passing by the coordinator waiting room while I did. I only hoped she was around the building. I mean, the town was small, and I'd find her quickly, but I really wanted to get to her as fast as possible and see how she was going. The blow looked pretty bad, and she looked like she was having a full blown panic attack on the stage.

A hand grabbed my shoulder just as I was about to leave, spinning me around to reveal its owner.

"Steven, please. Go find Alice." Asked her mother, worry seeping from her voice. "She's deathly afraid of crowds. Make sure she's safe, and that she doesn't do anything reckless."

I nodded. "I was just about to do that. Don't worry. I'll find her!" I assured her, bolting before I got a response.

…

It took a few minutes, but I found her soon enough at the outskirts of the building, leaning on a tree as she sobbed. This... I wanted to comfort her all I could. It hurt, seeing her like this. She'd broken ribs and and arm, and she didn't shed so much as a tear then. To see a rock like her so shaken... It was unbelievably heart wrenching.

I let out a small gasp as she launched herself at me, nearly toppling me as she buried her face into my chest, letting a torrent of cries out. Surprised, I brought my hand down her hair, surprised by its softness before resting my chin on her head and taking her into a tight hug.

So long as I had something to do about it... I'd never let anyone hurt her like this again. I'd protect her with every ounce of power I had.


End file.
